Abstract: Systems and methods described herein use near field communications to locate a radiating transponder, such as a pill swallowed by a patient. The system can be triggered to turn on and transmit a waveform to a set of antennas attached to, coupled with, or near the patient. The magnetic field emitted by the transponder can be measured by the receiving antennas, for example, using principles of mutual inductance. The differential phase and/or time shifts between the antennas can contain sufficient information to find the location of the transponder and optionally its orientation relative to body coordinates. The system can display the location and/or orientation of the transponder. Further, the pill can include a reservoir to deliver a payload at a particular site of the patient's body based at least in part on the determined location.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 27, 2018
Date of Patent:
July 13, 2021
Assignee:
Rock West Medical Devices, LLC
Inventors:
Thomas Eugene Old, John Christopher Baker, Neal J. Carron, Donald Gordon Pritchett
Abstract: Systems and methods described herein can use near field communications to locate a radiating transmitter, such as a pill transmitter swallowed by a patient. In some embodiments, the pill transmitter can include multiple transmitting elements configured to transmit signals in an axis orthogonal with respect to each other. Further, in some embodiment, the pill transmitter can also include multiple transmitting elements in each of the three axes where the three axes may be perpendicular with respect to each other. The magnetic field emitted from the pill transmitter can be measured by the receiving antennas, for example, using principles of mutual inductance.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 21, 2014
Date of Patent:
March 16, 2021
Assignee:
Rock West Medical Devices, LLC
Inventors:
Neal Jay Carron, Thomas Eugene Old, Donald Gordon Pritchett, John Christopher Baker
Abstract: This disclosure relates to a flexible circuit for insertion into a pill capsule. The flexible circuit has a first portion having an electrical contact to electrically connect with a battery, a second portion having an electrical contact to electrically connect with the battery, a first arm separating the first portion and second portion, a third portion comprising a first antenna, a second arm separating the first portion and third portion, a fourth portion comprising a second antenna, a third arm separating the first portion and fourth portion, a third arm separating the first portion and fourth portion, and a fifth portion comprising a third antenna. The first portion, second portion, and first arm form a first receptacle to receive a battery. The third portion, fourth portion, and fifth portion form a second receptacle to receive a cube ferrite core.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 31, 2018
Date of Patent:
April 9, 2019
Assignee:
Rock West Medical Devices, LLC
Inventors:
Neal Jay Carron, Thomas Eugene Old, Donald Gordon Pritchett, John Christopher Baker
Abstract: Systems and methods described herein use near field communications to locate a radiating transponder, such as a pill swallowed by a patient. The system can be triggered to turn on and transmit a waveform to a set of antennas attached to, coupled with, or near the patient. The magnetic field emitted by the transponder can be measured by the receiving antennas, for example, using principles of mutual inductance. The differential phase and/or time shifts between the antennas can contain sufficient information to find the location of the transponder and optionally its orientation relative to body coordinates. The system can display the location and/or orientation of the transponder. Further, the pill can include a reservoir to deliver a payload at a particular site of the patient's body based at least in part on the determined location.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 24, 2015
Date of Patent:
August 14, 2018
Assignee:
Rock West Medical Devices, LLC
Inventors:
Thomas Eugene Old, John Christopher Baker, Neal Jay Carron, Donald Gordon Pritchett