Swallowable data recorder capsule medical device

• US 20040059204A1
• Filed: 09/16/2003
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel R. Marshall
• Original Assignee: Daniel R. Marshall
• Inventors: Marshall, Daniel R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,800,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/309
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14503 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6861 Capsules, e.g. for swallowing or implanting

Abstract

The present invention provides a swallowable data recorder medical device. The swallowable data recorder medical device includes a capsule including a sensing module for sensing a biologic condition within a body. A recording module is provided including an atomic resolution storage device. The recording module is electrically coupled to the sensing module for recording data representative of the sensed biologic condition in the atomic resolution storage device. A power supply is coupled to the recording module.

Claims

1. A swallowable data recorder medical device comprising:

a capsule including;

a sensing module for sensing a biologic condition within a body;

a recording module including an atomic resolution storage device, the recording module electrically coupled to the sensing module for recording data representative of the sensed biological condition, in the atomic resolution storage device; and

a power supply coupled to the recording module.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing module provides an output signal representative of the sensed biological condition, and the recording module includes a controller for receiving the output signal from the sensing module.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the controller performs one or more logical operations using the output signal, and selectively provides output data to the atomic resolution storage device based upon the logical operations.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the recording module includes programmable logic.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the programmable logic is located on the atomic resolution storage device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the atomic resolution storage device further comprises:

a field emitter fabricated by semiconductor microfabrication techniques capable of generating an electron beam current; and

a storage medium in proximity to the field emitter and having a storage area in one of a plurality of states to represent the information stored in the storage area.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein an effect is generated when the electron beam current bombards the storage area, wherein the magnitude of the effect depends upon the state of the storage area, and wherein the information stored in a storage area is read by measuring the magnitude of the effect.

8. The device of claim 6, further comprising:

a plurality of storage areas on the storage medium, with each storage area being similar to the one recited in claim 6;

and

a microfabricated mover in the storage device to position different storage areas to be bombarded by the electron beam current.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

a plurality of field emitters, with each emitter being similar to the one recited in claim 6, the plurality of field emitters being spaced apart, with each emitter being responsible for a number of storage areas on the storage medium; and

such that a plurality of the field emitters can work in parallel to increase the data rate of the storage device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing module includes an image detector.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing module includes a chemical detector.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing module includes a plurality of chemical detectors.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing module includes an electrical detector.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the recording module is made from a silicon material.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing module and recording module are disposed on a silicon chip.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the capsule is made of an inert material.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the inert material is at least one of a glass material, a ceramic material, and a polymer material.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing module includes a multidirectional image sensor.

19. The recorder of claim 18, wherein the multidirectional image sensor comprises at least six image sensors arranged substantially perpendicular to one another along six cardinal directions.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising a magnetic member, wherein the magnetic member permits manipulation of the capsule from a non-body location.

21. A swallowable data recorder medical device comprising:

a capsule including;

a sensing module for sensing a biologic condition within a body, the sensing module including a video receiver, wherein sensing the biologic condition includes the video receiver receiving video of the biologic condition;

a recording module including an atomic resolution storage device, the recording module electrically coupled to the sensing module for recording data representative of the sensed biological condition, in the atomic resolution storage device; and

a power supply coupled to the recording module.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the sensing module further includes an illumination source.

23. A method of recording data internally within a human body comprising:

ingesting an inert capsule within a digestive tract of a human body;

sensing a predetermined type of biological condition within the digestive tract with a sensor disposed within the capsule; and

recording the sensed biologic condition as data in an atomic resolution storage device memory module within the capsule while the capsule is in the digestive tract.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

retrieving the sensed data from memory module when the capsule is outside of the human body.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the retrieving step further comprises the step of:

capturing the capsule after passage of the capsule through the digestive tract.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of:

transmitting the data from the capsule to a location outside of the human body while the capsule is within the human body.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the sensing step further comprises the step of:

obtaining an image of a predetermined body location within the digestive tract.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the obtaining step further comprises:

arranging a magnetic member in the capsule prior to the ingesting step;

arranging a magnet positioner outside the body; and

magnetically manipulating the relative position and orientation of the capsule within the digestive tract by using the magnet positioner to move the magnetic member in the capsule.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the sensing step further comprises the step of:

exposing a chemical sensor array on the surface of the capsule to sense one or more chemical conditions in the digestive tract.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the exposing step further comprises the step of:

sensing at least one of a relative amount and an absolute amount of at least one or more digestive tract constituents.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the sensing step further comprises the step of:

sensing a pH of the digestive tract constituents.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the sensing step further comprises the step of:

exposing an electrically based sensor in the capsule to sense biologic conditions.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the exposing step further comprises the step of:

sensing a temperature within the digestive tract.

34. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of:

performing the sensing step at a predetermined body location within the digestive tract that corresponds to a known location for the predetermined biologic condition.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of:

identifying the passage of the capsule at a predetermined body location within the digestive tract using at least one of a radiographic technique and an ultrasonic technique.

36. The method of claim 23, wherein the recording step further comprises the step of:

recording sensed data continuously within the digestive tract.

37. The method of claim 23, wherein the recording step further comprises the step of:

initiating and maintaing recording of the sensed data when the sensed data reaches a predetermined value of a predetermined biologic condition.