Chemical sensor system
First Claim
1. An implantable chemical sensor system for measuring the concentration of an analyte of interest, comprising:
- a sensor, comprising a material that selectively responds to an analyte of interest by changing its dimensions;
an implantable transducer, comprising an electronic circuit having at least one variable electrical characteristic that changes in response to dimensional changes of the sensor; and
a telemetry device that interrogates the transducer transdermally to measure the changes in the electrical characteristic of the circuit as the concentration of analyte changes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable chemical sensor system for medical applications is described which permits selective recognition of an analyte using an expandable biocompatible sensor, such as a polymer, that undergoes a dimensional change in the presence of the analyte. The expandable polymer is incorporated into an electronic circuit component that changes its properties (e.g., frequency) when the polymer changes dimension. As the circuit changes its characteristics, an external interrogator transmits a signal transdermally to the transducer, and the concentration of the analyte is determined from the measured changes in the circuit. This invention may be used for minimally invasive monitoring of blood glucose levels in diabetic patients.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An implantable chemical sensor system for measuring the concentration of an analyte of interest, comprising:
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a sensor, comprising a material that selectively responds to an analyte of interest by changing its dimensions;
an implantable transducer, comprising an electronic circuit having at least one variable electrical characteristic that changes in response to dimensional changes of the sensor; and
a telemetry device that interrogates the transducer transdermally to measure the changes in the electrical characteristic of the circuit as the concentration of analyte changes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for measuring the concentration of an analyte of interest using an implantable sensor system, comprising:
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providing a transducer, comprising an electronic circuit and a sensor, wherein the sensor comprises a material that selectively responds to an analyte of interest by changing its dimensions, and wherein the circuit has at least one variable electrical characteristic that changes in response to dimensional changes of the sensor;
implanting the transducer subcutaneously into a patient; and
providing a telemetry device that interrogates the transducer transdermally to measure the changes in the electrical characteristic of the circuit as the concentration of analyte changes.
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Specification