Patent · US Active

Method for acoustic information exchange involving an ingestible low power capsule

US8615284B2 · kind B2 · utility

10Cited by
77References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 6, 2007
Grant dateDec 24, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 17, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B5/42
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method of communicating with an ingestible capsule includes detecting the location of the ingestible capsule, focusing a multi-sensor acoustic array on the ingestible capsule, and communicating an acoustic information exchange with the ingestible capsule via the multi-sensor acoustic array. The ingestible capsule includes a sensor that receives a stimulus inside the gastrointestinal tract of an animal, a bidirectional acoustic information communications module that transmits an acoustic information signal containing information from the sensor, and an acoustically transmissive encapsulation that substantially encloses the sensor and communications module, wherein the acoustically transmissive encapsulation is of ingestible size. The multi-sensor array includes a plurality of acoustic transducers that receive an acoustic signal from a movable device, and a plurality of delays, wherein each delay is coupled to a corresponding acoustic transducer. Each delay may be adjusted according to a phase of a signal received by the corresponding acoustic transducer.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.