System and methods for providing magnetic resonance imaging data for an image reconstruction

1. A method for providing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data for an image reconstruction to be carried out by an evaluation apparatus on a MRI base unit of a MRI system, wherein the MRI data is formed by MRI reception signals obtained by a MRI local coil unit of the MRI system, the method comprising:

producing an alternating magnetic field by the MRI base unit, wherein the alternating magnetic field is modulated in accordance with a reference clock;

obtaining electric energy for supplying local electronics of the MRI local coil unit from the alternating magnetic field by the MRI local coil unit;

retrieving the reference clock from the alternating magnetic field by the local electronics, defining a retrieved reference clock;

producing a radio signal containing MRI information representing the MRI reception signals and clock information representing the retrieved reference clock by the local electronics and transmitted to the MRI base unit; and

processing the radio signal by the MRI base unit, wherein the MRI data and the clock information are retrieved therefrom and provided to the evaluation apparatus for the image reconstruction.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the alternating magnetic field is a rotating magnetic field.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the MRI information in a form of digital MRI data is modulated onto a carrier signal of the radio signal produced on the MRI local coil unit.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a carrier signal derived from a clock signal retrieved on the MRI local coil unit, onto which the carrier signal the MRI information is modulated, is used to produce the radio signal.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the MRI information in a form of digital MRI data is modulated onto the carrier signal of the radio signal produced on the MRI local coil unit.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the MRI information is modulated onto the carrier signal by amplitude modulation or amplitude-shift keying.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the amplitude-shift keying is an on-off keying.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the MRI information in a form of digital MRI data is modulated onto the carrier signal of the radio signal produced on the MRI local coil unit.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a carrier signal derived from a clock signal retrieved on the MRI local coil unit, onto which the carrier signal the MRI information is modulated, is used to produce the radio signal.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the MRI information is modulated onto the carrier signal by amplitude modulation or amplitude-shift keying.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the MRI information in a form of digital MRI data is modulated onto the carrier signal of the radio signal produced on the MRI local coil unit.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the MRI information in a form of digital MRI data is modulated onto the carrier signal of the radio signal produced on the MRI local coil unit.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the MRI information in a form of digital MRI data is modulated onto a carrier signal of the radio signal produced on the MRI local coil unit.

14. A method for operating a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system having a MRI base unit and a MRI local coil, the method comprising:

producing an alternating magnetic field by the MRI base unit, wherein the alternating magnetic field is modulated in accordance with a reference clock;

obtaining electric energy for supplying local electronics of the MRI local coil from the alternating magnetic field by the MRI local coil;

retrieving the reference clock from the alternating magnetic field by the local electronics, defining a retrieved reference clock;

producing a radio signal containing MRI information representing MRI reception signals and clock information representing the retrieved reference clock by the local electronics and transmitted to the MRI base unit;

processing the radio signal by the MRI base unit, wherein the MRI data and the clock information are retrieved therefrom and provided to an evaluation apparatus for an image reconstruction; and

carrying out the image reconstruction by the evaluation apparatus on the MRI base unit of the MRI system, wherein the image reconstruction comprises a comparison of phases between the reference clock and the retrieved reference clock.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the alternating magnetic field is a rotating magnetic field.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the MRI information in a form of digital MRI data is modulated onto a carrier signal of the radio signal produced on the MRI local coil.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein a carrier signal derived from a clock signal retrieved on the MRI local coil, onto which the carrier signal the MRI information is modulated, is used to produce the radio signal.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the MRI information is modulated onto the carrier signal by amplitude modulation or amplitude-shift keying.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the amplitude-shift keying is an on-off keying.