US5279607A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Telemetry capsule and process
Assignee: SMART PILL DIAGNOSTICS Inc
•
Filing: 1991-05-30
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Granted: 1994-01-18
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Expires: 2011-05-30
Abstract
Abstract An ingestible capsule and process for delivery, particularly repeatable delivery, of a medicament to the alimentary canal is disclosed wherein an essentially non-digestible capsule contains an electric energy emitting means, a radio signal transmitting means, a medicament storage means and a remote actuatable medicament releasing means. The capsule signals a remote receiver as it progresses through the alimentary tract in a previously mapped route and upon reaching a specified site is remotely triggered to release a dosage of medicament.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerome J. Schentag
- 👤 David T. D'Andrea
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 13:21
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M31/00; A61M31/002; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/0002; A61B5/0031; A61B5/07; A61B5/073; A61B5/48; A61B5/4836; A61B5/4839; A61B10/00; A61B10/0045; A61B2010/0061
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 60
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
An ingestible capsule for delivery of a medicament to the alimentary canal of an animal comprising, an electric power source, a radio signal transmitting means in enabling circuitry with said power source suitable for transmitting a radio signal the location from which emanates being trackable through animal tissue, a medicament storage compartment, and a medicament releasing means for releasing medicament from said storage compartment, all encased in an essentially non-digestable outer shell that is configured to pass through said alimentary canal, said medicament releasing means being actuatable by radio signal transmitted from a site exterior of the body of said animal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
101 words
An ingestible capsule for delivery of a medicament to the alimentary canal of an animal comprising, an electric power source, a radio signal transmitting means in enabling circuitry with said power source suitable for transmitting a radio signal the location from which emanates being trackable through animal tissue, a medicament storage compartment, and a medicament releasing means for releasing medicament from said storage compartment, all encased in an essentially non-digestable outer shell that is configured to pass through said alimentary canal, said medicament releasing means being actuatable by radio signal transmitted from a site exterior of the body of said animal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The capsule of claim 1 wherein said electric power source comprises a battery.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The capsule of claim 1 wherein said transmitting means emits a radio signal, detectable exterior to said outer shell of said capsule, when enabled by said power source.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The capsule of claim 1 wherein said medicament storage compartment comprises a dosing means and a filling means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The capsule of claim 4 wherein said filling means comprises a self sealing membrane arranged to be pierced for providing medicament to said storage compartment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The capsule of claim 4 wherein said dosing means comprises a removable plug arranged to be expelled from said capsule at dosing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The capsule of claim 1 wherein said medicament releasing means comprises an activating means and a medicament releasing means, said activating means being arranged to initiate measurement releasing activity of said medicament releasing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The capsule of claim 7 wherein said activating means comprises an electric heating filament, in enabling circuitry with said power source.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The capsule of claim 1 wherein said remote actuatable medicament releasing means comprises means for receiving a radio signal from a remote transmitting means positioned exterior of said outer shell of said capsule.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The capsule of claim 7 wherein said activating means comprises an initiator coil, in enabling circuitry with said power source, that is characterized by emitting a detectable resonate frequency when said activating means is activated.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The capsule of claim 8 wherein said medicament releasing means comprises a diaphragm, arranged between reactants and separating said reactants from contacting, and said heating filament is detachably joined to said diaphragm by means of a thermal sensitive glue.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The capsule of claim 1 wherein said releasing means comprises a diaphragm, arranged between and separating reactants, that, upon contacting each other, will form a gas.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The capsule of claim 12 wherein said reactants comprise an acid and a base.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The capsule of claim 13 wherein said base comprises sodium bi-carbonate and said acid is an organic acid.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The capsule of claim 12 further comprising means to rupture said diaphragm to the extent that the separated reactants will contact.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The capsule of claim 15 wherein said means to rupture said diaphragm comprises a rupture pin arranged to engage said diaphragm when said diaphragm is released from a distended position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The capsule of claim 16, wherein said diaphragm is held in said distended position by means comprising an electric heating filament detachably joined, by thermal sensitive glue, to said diaphragm.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The capsule of claim 17 wherein said means comprises enabling circuitry from said power source for conducting electricity to said filament.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The capsule of claim 7 wherein said medicament releasing means comprises a movable piston.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
The capsule of claim 19 wherein said piston is adapted to cause medicament to be expelled from the capsule through movement of said piston forcing medicament stored in said medicament storage compartment to be expelled from said capsule.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The capsule of claim 20 comprising a trip wire arranged to be engaged upon movement of said piston.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The capsule of claim 20 wherein a trip wire is arranged to break with said movement of said piston.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The capsule of claim 21 wherein said trip wire is arranged to engage means for detecting medicament dosing.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
The capsule of claim 23 wherein said trip wire is an electrical conductor and engages an initiator coil in parallel circuitry that is characterized by a detectable resonate frequency when activated.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The capsule of claim 24 wherein breaking said trip wire modifies said parallel circuitry and changes the resonate frequency of said initiator coil.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
The capsule of claim 1 wherein said outer shell comprises a polycarbonate.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
13 words
The capsule of claim 1 wherein said enabling circuitry comprises a switching means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
69 words
An ingestible capsule for delivery of a medicament to the alimentary canal comprising, a non-digestible outer shell; an electric power source; a radio signal transmitting means in enabling circuitry with said power source suitable for transmitting a radio signal the location from which is emanates being trackable through animal tissue; a medicament storage compartment comprising a filling membrane and a dosing means; and, a remote actuatable medicament releasing means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
69 words
An ingestible capsule for delivery of a medicament to the alimentary canal comprising, a non-digestible outer shell; an electric power source; a radio signal transmitting means in enabling circuitry with said power source suitable for transmitting a radio signal the location from which is emanates being trackable through animal tissue; a medicament storage compartment comprising a filling membrane and a dosing means; and, a remote actuatable medicament releasing means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
94 words
An ingestible capsule for delivery of a medicament to the alimentary canal comprising, a non-digestible outer shell; an electric power source; a radio signal transmitting means in enabling circuitry with said power source suitable for transmitting a radio signal the location from which it emanates being trackable through animal tissue; a medicament storage compartment comprising a filling membrane and a dosing means; diaphragm means, arranged to separate reactants that upon contact generate a gaseous product; means to rupture said diaphragm; and piston means, arranged to move in response to generation of said gaseous product.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
94 words
An ingestible capsule for delivery of a medicament to the alimentary canal comprising, a non-digestible outer shell; an electric power source; a radio signal transmitting means in enabling circuitry with said power source suitable for transmitting a radio signal the location from which it emanates being trackable through animal tissue; a medicament storage compartment comprising a filling membrane and a dosing means; diaphragm means, arranged to separate reactants that upon contact generate a gaseous product; means to rupture said diaphragm; and piston means, arranged to move in response to generation of said gaseous product.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
12 words
The capsule of claim 29 comprising means to receive a radio signal.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
13 words
The capsule of claim 30 containing a medicament in said medicament storage compartment.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
115 words
A process for the delivery of a medicament to a selected site in the alimentary canal of an animal comprising, providing an ingestible capsule containing a signal transmitting means, medicament and a remote actuatable medicament releasing means; ingesting said capsule into the alimentary canal; transmitting a signal trackable through animal tissue from said transmitting means contained in said capsule, said signal being suitable for determining location of said capsule; receiving said transmitted signal exterior of the body of said animal; comparing said signal to a pre-established model and transmitting an actuating signal to said remote actuatable medicament releasing means contained in said capsule for releasing said medicament from said capsule, in response to the comparison.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
115 words
A process for the delivery of a medicament to a selected site in the alimentary canal of an animal comprising, providing an ingestible capsule containing a signal transmitting means, medicament and a remote actuatable medicament releasing means; ingesting said capsule into the alimentary canal; transmitting a signal trackable through animal tissue from said transmitting means contained in said capsule, said signal being suitable for determining location of said capsule; receiving said transmitted signal exterior of the body of said animal; comparing said signal to a pre-established model and transmitting an actuating signal to said remote actuatable medicament releasing means contained in said capsule for releasing said medicament from said capsule, in response to the comparison.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 32 wherein said signal is a radio signal.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 32 wherein a radio signal is transmitted from said transmitting means in said capsule and is received at multiple receiving antennae arranged about the exterior of the body of said animal.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 34 wherein the output of said multiple receiving antennae is directed to time multiplexing means and said output is converted to time multiplexed output.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 33 wherein said radio signal, transmitted from said transmitting means in said capsule, is converted to an intermediate frequency signal.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 36 wherein an intermediate frequency signal is quantified as a DC voltage signal.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 37 wherein a quantified DC voltage signal is digitized to provide input to a computer.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 35 wherein said time multiplexed output of the multiple receiving antennae is converted to an intermediate frequency signal, quantified as a DC voltage signal and digitized to provide input to a computer.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 32 wherein digitized information from said transmitted signal is compared to digitized information from said pre-established model in a computer.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 32 wherein said pre-established model comprises historic data obtained from the previous passage of a radio signal transmitting capsule through said alimentary canal.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 32 wherein said pre-established model comprises digitized information having parameters comprising one of rate of progress of said capsule through said canal, length of time of said capsule in said canal or normalized model.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 32 wherein said transmitted signal is received exterior of the animal body digitized and provided to a computer.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 43 wherein said pre-established model comprises digitized historic data obtained from the previous passage of a capsule through said alimentary canal.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 43 wherein said pre-established model comprises digitized information having parameters comprising one of rate of progress of said capsule through said canal, length of time of said capsule in said canal or normalized model.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 43 wherein said computer is programed to scan and compute variations from pre-programed factors.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 43 wherein said computer is programed to initiate an actuating signal to the medicament releasing means of the capsule.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 43 wherein initiation of said actuating signal is operator controlled.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 32 wherein release of said medicament initiates a dosing indicator signal, by a dosing indicator signal means comprised in said capsule, which is detectable exterior of the body of said animal.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 47 wherein release of said medicament initiates a dosing indicator signal, by a dosing indicator signal means comprised in said capsule, which is detectable exterior of the body of said animal.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 50 wherein said computer is programed to re-initiated an actuating signal when a dosing indicator signal is not received by said computer after it has initiated an actuating signal.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 32 comprising two or more capsules in the alimentary canal transmitting differential signals.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
54 words
The process of claim 32 wherein a first ingestible capsule, containing a signal transmitting means, is ingested into said alimentary canal; a signal transmitted from said capsule is received exterior of said body and digitized in a computer; and said digitized data from a signal transmitted from said first capsule comprises said pre-established model.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
94 words
A process for the collection of data for the delivery of a medicament to a selected site in the alimentary canal of an animal comprising, providing an ingestible capsule containing a radio signal transmitting means suitable for determining location of said capsule ingesting said capsule into the alimentary canal; transmitting a radio signal from said transmitting means; receiving said transmitted signal exterior of the body of said animal at multiple receiving antennae arranged about said canal; digitizing said signal received by said multiple antennae; storing said digitized signal in computer recoverable, time sequence memory.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
94 words
A process for the collection of data for the delivery of a medicament to a selected site in the alimentary canal of an animal comprising, providing an ingestible capsule containing a radio signal transmitting means suitable for determining location of said capsule ingesting said capsule into the alimentary canal; transmitting a radio signal from said transmitting means; receiving said transmitted signal exterior of the body of said animal at multiple receiving antennae arranged about said canal; digitizing said signal received by said multiple antennae; storing said digitized signal in computer recoverable, time sequence memory.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 54 wherein said stored digitized signal is compared to digitized data derived from transmitted signals from the passage of another capsule through said alimentary canal.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-01-17 | 1997-07-19 | 1998-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-01-17 | 2001-07-19 | 2002-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-01-17 | 2005-07-19 | 2006-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |