Rotary optical link using a radiated wave in a localized area

摘要

A computed tomography system employs an optical communications link to reliably transmit high bandwidth data from the gantry to the associated processor. The communications link comprises an optical emitter, an optical waveguide, an induced radiated wave chamber, and an optical detector. The optical emitter is attached to the gantry of the computed tomography system. The optical waveguide generates a total internal reflection breach in response to an electric field, light energy, magnetic energy, and alternatively, in response to heat produced within a induced radiated wave chamber. The optical emitter generates a high bandwidth optical data signal which travels along the optical waveguide in correspondence with data generated by the detector array on the gantry. An induced radiated wave chamber induces a breach in the total internal reflection condition in the portion of the waveguide disposed within the induced radiated wave chamber, to cause the high bandwidth optical data signal to be reflected from the waveguide within the induced radiated wave chamber and correspondingly not to be reflected outside the waveguide. The optical detector which is fixed to the induced radiated wave chamber detects data reflected from the optical data signal.