# US 10,310,036 B2 · Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and method for detecting error of magnetic resonance imaging apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,036 B2 - Document ID: US10310036B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/408,555 - Filed: 2017-01-18 - Published: 2017-07-20 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-01-18 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jin-sub Kim; Raghavendra Putti - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310036B2 ## CPC - G01R 33/3671: {involving modulation of the quality factor of the RF coil (G01R33/3642 takes precedence)} - G01R 33/3628: {Tuning/matching of the transmit/receive coil} - 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} - G01R 33/583: {Calibration of signal excitation or detection systems, e.g. for optimal RF excitation power or frequency (G01R33/246 takes precedence)} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus and a method of detecting an error of the MRI apparatus are provided. The MRI apparatus includes a radio frequency (RF) coil configured to transmit and receive an RF signal, a bias circuit configured to tune and detune the RF coil, and a monitoring circuit configured to monitor a parameter among a bias voltage and a bias current of the bias circuit, based on a monitoring pattern. The MRI apparatus further includes a controller configured to determine whether the bias circuit is in an abnormal state, based on a determination criteria and the monitored parameter, and either one or both of the monitoring pattern and the determination criteria vary based on a status of the bias circuit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising: a radio frequency (RF) coil configured to transmit and receive an RF signal; a bias circuit configured to tune and detune the RF coil; a monitoring circuit configured to monitor a parameter among a bias voltage and a bias current of the bias circuit; and a controller configured to: determine, when the monitored parameter among the bias voltage and the bias current is in a steady state, whether the bias circuit is in an abnormal state, based on a first determination criteria and the monitored parameter; and determine, when the monitored parameter among the bias voltage and the bias current is in a transient state, whether the bias circuit is in the abnormal state, based on a second determination criteria and the monitored parameter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first determination criteria is based on comparing the monitored parameter among the bias voltage and the bias current with threshold values. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second determination criteria is based on a rising time period and a falling time period of the monitored parameter among the bias voltage and the bias current. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second determination criteria is based on a trend of a change in the rising time period and the falling time period. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bias circuit is further configured to detune the RF coil in a RF signal transmission mode, and tune the RF coil in a RF signal reception mode, and the monitoring circuit is further configured to monitor the parameter among the bias voltage and the bias current, during a first monitoring time period in the RF signal transmission mode, during a second monitoring time period in the RF signal reception mode, and during a third monitoring time period while the bias circuit is being switched between the RF signal transmission mode and the RF signal reception mode, the first monitoring time period and the second monitoring time period being respectively shorter than a duration of the RF signal transmission mode and a duration of the RF signal reception mode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the bias circuit is in the steady state during the first monitoring time period and during the second monitoring time period, and is in the transient state during the third monitoring time period. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bias circuit comprises a positive-intrinsic-negative diode. ### Claim 8 A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising: a radio frequency (RF) coil configured to transmit and receive an RF signal; a bias circuit configured to detune the RF coil in a RF signal transmission mode, and tune the RF coil in a RF signal reception mode; a monitoring circuit configured to: monitor, in the RF signal transmission mode, a parameter among a bias voltage and a bias current during a first monitoring time period that is shorter than a duration of the RF signal transmission mode; and monitor, in the RF signal reception mode, the parameter among the bias voltage and the bias current during a second monitoring time period that is shorter than a duration of the RF signal reception mode; and a controller configured to determine whether the bias circuit is in an abnormal state, based on the monitored parameter among the bias voltage and the bias current. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first monitoring time period starts after a first delay time period after the RF signal transmission mode starts, and the second monitoring time period starts after a second delay time period after the RF signal reception mode starts. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first delay time period is longer than the second delay time period. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first monitoring time period starts after the bias circuit is switched off, and the second monitoring time period starts after the bias circuit is switched on. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the bias circuit is in a steady state or a transient state during the first monitoring time period and the second monitoring time period, and the controller is further configured to determine whether the bias circuit is in the abnormal state by comparing the monitored parameter among the bias voltage and the bias current of the bias circuit in the steady state, with first threshold values. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, when the bias circuit is in the transient state during the first monitoring time period and the second monitoring time period, the controller is further configured to determine whether the bias circuit is in the abnormal state by comparing a rising time period and a falling time period of the monitored parameter with second threshold values, in response to the bias circuit being in the transient state. ### Claim 14 A method of detecting an error of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising a radio frequency (RF) coil transmitting and receiving an RF signal, and a bias circuit tuning and detuning the RF coil, the method comprising: monitoring a parameter among a bias voltage and a bias current of the bias circuit; and determining, when the monitored parameter among the bias voltage and the bias current in a steady state, whether the bias circuit is in an abnormal state, based on a determination criteria and the monitored parameter; and determining, when the monitored parameter among the bias voltage and the bias current is in a transient state, whether the bias circuit is in the abnormal state, based on a second determination criteria and the monitored parameter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to cause a computer to perform the method of claim 14. ### Claim 16 A method of detecting an error of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising a radio frequency (RF) coil transmitting and receiving an RF signal, and a bias circuit tuning the RF coil in a RF signal transmission mode and detuning the RF coil in a RF signal reception mode, the method comprising: monitoring, in the RF signal transmission mode, a parameter among a bias voltage and a bias current during a first monitoring time period that is shorter than a duration of the RF signal transmission mode; monitoring, in the RF signal reception mode, the parameter among the bias voltage and the bias current during a second monitoring time period that is shorter than a duration of the RF signal reception mode; and determining whether the bias circuit is in an abnormal state, based on the monitored parameter among the bias voltage and the bias current. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the first monitoring time period starts after a first delay time period after the RF signal transmission mode starts, and the second monitoring time period starts after a second delay time period after the RF signal reception mode starts. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the first monitoring time period starts after the bias circuit is switched off, and the second monitoring time period starts after the bias circuit is switched on. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the bias circuit is in a steady state during the first monitoring time period and the second monitoring time period, and the method further comprises determining whether the bias circuit is in the abnormal state by comparing the monitored parameter among the bias voltage and the bias current of the bias circuit in the steady state, with first threshold values. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to cause a computer to perform the method of claim 16.