Patent ID: 8749237

Claim:
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, comprising: a transmitting coil configured to transmit RF energy into a subject of interest; a receiving coil capable of being switched between at least a first state, in which the receiving coil can resonate in response to RF signals generated within the subject of interest, and a second state, in which the receiving coil is unable to resonate in response to RF energy produced by the transmitting coil; a switch configured to vary the receiving coil between the first and second states in response to a logic signal, wherein the switch comprises a micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) switch; a MEMS device driver configured to produce the logic signal in response to an electrical signal; an opto-isolator in communication with the MEMS device driver and configured to produce the electrical signal from an optical signal produced by a light source in response to a current-based control signal, such that the light source produces a light beam which is transmitted to a photodetector; wherein the MEMS device driver is connected to the photodetector and in communication with the MEMS switch to produce high voltage switching logic from the electrical signal.