Electrodynamic field strength triggering system
First Claim
1. A method of triggering a sensor implanted within a living animal to measure an analyte in a medium within the living animal, the method comprising:
- coupling an inductive element of an external reader and an inductive element of the sensor within an electrodynamic field by generating, using the inductive element of the external reader, the electrodynamic field;
receiving, at the external reader, a response communication from the sensor;
generating, using a field strength measurement circuit of the external reader, field strength data indicative of the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor, wherein the field strength measurement circuit generates the field strength data by detecting an amount of time between when the electrodynamic field begins being generated and when the response communication is received;
determining, based on the field strength data, whether the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is sufficient for the sensor to perform an analyte measurement and convey the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader; and
if the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is determined to be sufficient, triggering an analyte measurement by the sensor and conveyance of the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for automatically triggering wireless power and data exchange between an external reader and an implanted sensor. The implanted sensor may measure the strength of an electrodynamic field received wirelessly from the reader and convey field strength data based on the measured strength of the received electrodynamic field to the reader. If the field strength data indicates that the strength of an electrodynamic field received by the sensor is sufficient for the implanted sensor to perform an analyte measurement, the reader may convey an analyte measurement command to the sensor, which may execute the analyte measurement command and convey measurement information back to the reader. The systems and methods may trigger the analyte measurement as the reader transiently passes within sufficient range/proximity to the implant (or vice versa).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of triggering a sensor implanted within a living animal to measure an analyte in a medium within the living animal, the method comprising:
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coupling an inductive element of an external reader and an inductive element of the sensor within an electrodynamic field by generating, using the inductive element of the external reader, the electrodynamic field; receiving, at the external reader, a response communication from the sensor; generating, using a field strength measurement circuit of the external reader, field strength data indicative of the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor, wherein the field strength measurement circuit generates the field strength data by detecting an amount of time between when the electrodynamic field begins being generated and when the response communication is received; determining, based on the field strength data, whether the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is sufficient for the sensor to perform an analyte measurement and convey the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader; and if the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is determined to be sufficient, triggering an analyte measurement by the sensor and conveyance of the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20)
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10. A method of triggering a sensor implanted within a living animal to measure an analyte in a medium within the living animal, the method comprising:
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generating, using an inductive element of an external reader, an electrodynamic field; receiving, at the external reader, a response communication from the sensor; generating, using a field strength measurement circuit of the external reader, field strength data indicative of the strength of coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and an inductive element of the sensor within the electrodynamic field, wherein the field strength measurement circuit generates the field strength data by detecting an amount of time between when the electrodynamic field begins being generated and when the response communication is received; determining, using the external reader, based on the field strength data, whether the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is sufficient for the sensor to perform an analyte measurement and convey the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader; if the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is determined to be sufficient, triggering, using the external reader, an analyte measurement by the sensor and conveyance the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader, wherein the triggering comprises conveying, using circuitry of the external reader, an analyte measurement command to the sensor; and decoding, using circuitry of the external reader, analyte measurement information conveyed from the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 17, 18)
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13. An external reader for triggering a sensor implanted within a living animal to measure an analyte in a medium within the living animal, the external reader comprising:
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(a) an inductive element configured to couple with an inductive element of the sensor within an electrodynamic field; and (b) circuitry including a field strength measurement circuit, wherein the circuitry is configured to; (i) generate the electrodynamic field via the inductive element of the external reader; (ii) receive a response communication from the sensor via the inductive element of the external reader; (iii) generate field strength data indicative of the strength of coupling of an inductive element of the external reader and an inductive element of the sensor within an electrodynamic field, wherein the field strength measurement circuit generates the field strength data by detecting an amount of time between when the electrodynamic field begins being generated and when the response communication is received; (iv) determine based on the field strength data, whether the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is sufficient for the sensor to perform an analyte measurement and convey the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader; (v) if the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is determined to be sufficient, trigger an analyte measurement by the sensor and conveyance the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader, wherein the triggering comprises conveying an analyte measurement command to the sensor; and (vi) decode analyte measurement information conveyed from the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification