Birth monitoring system

• US 20040236193A1
• Filed: 12/04/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barnev Ltd. (My Size, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Barnev Ltd. (My Size, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sharf, Yehuda
• Granted Patent: US 7,207,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/302
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/02 Foetus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/226 comprising means for identifying the connector, e.g. to prevent incorrect connection to socket
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02411 of foetuses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/076 Permanent implantations telemetry using implanted circuitry A61B5/0031; implanted stimulators for therapy A61N1/3605, A61N1/362, A61N1/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/288 for foetal cardiography, e.g. scalp electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0866 involving foetal diagnosis; pre-natal or peri-natal diagnosis of the baby
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network

Abstract

A medical transponder, including an ultrasonic sensor that detects impinging ultrasonic waves and generates electrical signals in response thereto; an electrical connection which receives said signals; and an electromagnetic RF transmitter coupled to said electrical connection and which generates an RF signal in response to said detected waves.

Claims

1. A medical transponder, comprising:

an ultrasonic sensor that detects impinging ultrasonic waves and generates electrical signals in response thereto;

an electrical connection which receives said signals; and

an electromagnetic RF transmitter coupled to said electrical connection and which generates an RF signal in response to said detected waves.

2. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein said electrical connection comprises circuitry.

3. A transponder according to claim 2, wherein said circuitry comprises a driving circuitry.

4. A transponder according to claim 2, wherein said circuitry comprises a tuning circuitry.

5. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter has an output lower than said signal.

6. A transponder according to claim 2, wherein said circuitry comprises a non-linear element which generates harmonics.

7. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein said electrical connection drives said RF transmitter with substantially no delay relative to said ultrasonic detection.

8. A transponder according to claim 1, comprising a covering adapted to protect said transponder from fluids and pressures extant in a birth canal.

9. A transponder according to claim 8, wherein said covering is disposable.

10. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein said transponder is small enough to avoid interfering with a birth process, when implanted in a birth canal.

11. A transponder according to claim 1, comprising an integral anchor adapted for attachment to cervical tissue.

12. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein said transponder is powered solely by said detected ultrasonic waves.

13. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein said transponder is powered by a transmitted power field.

14. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein said transponder is powered by an integral power source.

15. A transponder according to claim 2, wherein said circuitry modifies a frequency of said detected ultrasonic waves to generate a frequency for said transmitted RF waves.

16. A transponder according to claim 15, wherein said modification comprises a multiplication.

17. A transponder according to claim 15, wherein said modification comprises a frequency shift.

18. A transponder according to claim 15, wherein said circuitry comprises a variable element for generating different frequencies from a same base circuit.

19. A transponder according to claim 15, wherein said circuitry resonates with said impinging waves to generate said transmitted waves.

20. A transponder according to claim 15, wherein said circuitry comprises a modulation circuitry that uses said impinging waves to modulate said transmitted waves.

21. A transponder according to claim 15, comprising at least one additional sensor and wherein said circuitry modulates said transmitted wave using a signal from said sensor.

22. A transponder according to claim 1, wherein said transponder comprises a separate transmission antenna spatially displaced from said sensor by a wire, to a distance at least 10 times a maximal dimension of said sensor.

23. A transponder according to claim 22, wherein said wire is long enough to reach from a cervix to outside of a human body, through a birth canal.

24. A transponder according to claim 23, wherein said birth canal is a human birth canal.

25. A transponder according to claim 23, wherein said birth canal is a an equine or bovine birth canal.

26. A method of detecting a transponder, comprising:

transmitting an ultrasonic wave to said transponder; and

detecting an electromagnetic RF wave generated by said transponder in response to an interaction between said transponder and said ultrasonic wave.

27. A method according to claim 26, comprising determining a time of flight of said ultrasonic wave from a difference between a time of arrival of said RF wave and a time of transmission of said ultrasonic wave.

28. A method according to claim 27, comprising determining a location of said transponder by repeating said transmitting and said detecting from a plurality of transmitter locations.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein said transmissions use at least two different frequencies for two different transmissions.

30. A method according to claim 26, comprising:

providing a plurality of transponders; and

distinguishing between RF waves generated by different transponders.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein distinguishing comprises distinguishing by frequency.

32. A method according to claim 30, comprising exciting said plurality of transponders using a broadband pulse.

33. A method according to claim 26, wherein said detected RF wave has a frequency that is a small integer multiple of a frequency of said ultrasonic wave.

34. A method according to claim 26, wherein said detection is near-field detection.

35. A method according to claim 26, wherein detecting comprises detecting using a plurality of antennas;

and determining phase information from said detecting.

36. A method according to claim 35, comprising reconstructing an orientation of said transducer from said phase information.

37. A method according to claim 26, comprising inserting said transponder in a body.

38. A method according to claim 37, comprising inserting said transponder in tissue adjacent a birth canal.

39. A method according to claim 38, comprising monitoring a process of birth using said transmission and said detection.

40. A method according to claim 38, wherein said birth canal is a human birth canal.

41. A method according to claim 38, wherein said birth canal is an equine or bovine birth canal.

42. A method of distinguishing between a plurality of intra-body transponders, comprising:

inserting a plurality of intra-body transponders into an animal body;

exciting at least one of said transponders using an excitation signal having a frequency;

detecting an electromagnetic RF signal including a contribution from at least one transponder, in response to said excitation signal; and

identifying the transponder from a transponder frequency of said detected RF signal, wherein transponder frequencies of the transponders are a function of said excitation frequency.

43. A method according to claim 42, wherein detecting comprises broadband detection for a plurality of transponders simultaneously.

44. A method according to claim 42, wherein said function is a multiplication function.

45. A method according to claim 42, wherein said transponder frequencies are shifted by a fixed frequency from each other.

46. A method according to claim 42, wherein exciting comprises exciting with a broadband signal that excites a plurality of transponders simultaneously.

47. A method according to claim 42, wherein exciting comprises exciting with a narrow-band signal that selectively excites a transponder.

48. A method according to claim 42, wherein exciting comprises exciting using an ultrasonic signal.

49. A transponder, comprising:

a detection sensor;

an anchor for attaching said sensor to a location of a body;

at least one wire electrically coupled to said sensor; and

a transmitter, electrically coupled to said at least one wire and adapted to be placed at a distance from said sensor, which distance is at least 10 times greater than a maximum dimension of said sensor.

50. A transponder according to claim 49, wherein said detection sensor is an ultrasound sensor.

51. A transponder according to claim 49, wherein said transmitter comprises an electromagnetic RF transmitter.

52. A method of collecting information from one or more medical transponders, comprising:

first transmitting an excitation signal to one or more medical transponders;

first receiving a first response of said transponder, said transmitting and receiving defining an interrogation;

second transmitting a second excitation signal to said transponder;

second receiving a second response of said transponder; and

analyzing said responses to provide information about said transponder, wherein said first transmitting and receiving and second transmitting and receiving use different interrogation modes.

53. A method according to claim 52, wherein said interrogation modes are selected from continuous wave transmission, pulsed transmission, region of interest transmission, region of interest detection, phase detection, broad band detection and narrow band detection.

54. A method according to claim 52, wherein said interrogations share at least one receiving antenna.

55. A method according to claim 52, wherein said interrogations share at least one transmission antenna.

56. A method according to claim 52, wherein said interrogations use the same transmission and reception antenna for both interrogation modes.

57. A method of monitoring a progress of a birth, comprising:

determining a position of at least one cervical transponder relative to a transmitter, which transmitter has a location not registered to fixed reference of the mother;

determining a position of at least one fetal transponder relative to said transmitter; and

displaying a relative position of said at least one cervical transponder and said at least one fetal transponder.

58. A method according to claim 57, comprising determining and displaying a relative orientation of said transponders.

59. A birth monitoring system, comprising:

an ultrasonic transmitter comprising at least one transmission element;

an electromagnetic RF receiver comprising at least one RF antenna;

at least two transponders adapted to attach to a cervix and which generate RF signals responsive to excitation by an ultrasonic signal;

a signal distinguisher which distinguishes between RF signals from different transponders; and

a controller which analyzes said RF signals to produce an indication of a progress of a birth.

60. A system according to claim 59, wherein said indication comprises a dilation of said cervix.

61. A system according to claim 59, wherein said indication comprises a station of a fetal head.

62. A system according to claim 59, wherein said indication comprises an orientation of a fetal head.

63. A system according to claim 59, wherein said system is adapted to be worn by a mother being monitored.

64. A system according to claim 59, wherein said distinguisher is part of said controller.