Wearable biomonitor with flexible thinned integrated circuit

• US 20050096513A1
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Irvine Sensors Corp.
• Original Assignee: Irvine Sensors Corp.
• Inventors: Ozguz, Volkan H., Khashayar, Abbas
• Application Number:
  US11/003,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20050096513A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6836 Wafer tapes, e.g. grinding or dicing support tapes adhesive tapes in general C09J7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68327 used during dicing or grinding

Abstract

A sensor system (30) has a sensor module (10) and a receiver module (45). The sensor module (10) functions as a wireless data collection device and has a flexible thin sheet of silicon (60, 65, 70) comprising circuitry (71, 72, 73), a flexible power source (105), and a flexible support substrate (55). The silicon, power source, and flexible support substrate are integrated as layers of the sensor module (10). The layers are placed together in the form of an adhesive bandage (10). A plurality of electrodes (80) are connected to the sensor module (10) and protrude from the flexible substrate (55) for contacting the skin of a subject body (20). The receiver module (45) includes one of an RF receiver with a wireless port for continuously receiving data (40), or a physical I/O port (87) to which the sensor module (10) can be physically connected for downloading stored data from the sensor module (10).

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A method of monitoring a physiological characteristic, comprising:

positioning a flexible sensor module on the skin of a subject body to be monitored;

collecting data through the skin for a predetermined period of time; and

analyzing the data on a device that is physically separate from the sensor module;

wherein the sensor module comprises a flexible thin sheet of silicon comprising circuitry for collecting physiological data, a flexible power source and a flexible substrate.

27. The method of monitoring of claim 26, wherein the step of positioning comprises adhering the sensor module to the skin by adhesive pads on the sensor module.

28. The method of monitoring of claim 27, further comprising the step of discarding the sensor module after use on a single said subject body.

29. The method of monitoring of claim 27, further comprising the subsequent steps of:

removing the adhesive pads from the sensor module; and

heating the sensor module in an autoclave for sterilization.

30. The method of monitoring of claim 26, wherein:

the step of positioning further comprises locating the sensor module in any of a variety of positions on the skin; and

the step of collecting further comprises comfortably leaving the sensor module on the skin during normal activities of the subject body.

31. The method of monitoring of claim 26, wherein the steps of collecting and analyzing further comprise monitoring by EMG.

32. The method of monitoring of claim 26, wherein the steps of collecting and analyzing further comprise monitoring by at least one of EKG, EMG, EEG, blood sugar, blood pulse, or blood pressure.

33. The method of monitoring of claim 32, wherein:

the sensor module is one of a plurality of sensor modules, and further comprising;

positioning the plurality of sensor modules on selected positions on the skin; and

simultaneously collecting data by each of the sensor modules.

34. A method of making a flexible sensor module, comprising:

grinding an inactive side of a silicon layer on which an IC resides until the silicon becomes thin and flexible;

mounting the silicon layer on a flexible substrate of polyimide by an anisotropic conductive epoxy intermediate layer; and

covering the silicon layer and the flexible substrate with a thin flexible battery.

35. The method of making of claim 34, wherein the step of grinding further comprises thinning the silicon layer to a thickness in the range from 10 to 50 microns.

36. The method of making of claim 34, further comprising:

metalizing the flexible substrate in order to;

provide an antenna; and

connect the IC to electrodes.

37. A method of making a sensor system, comprising:

forming a sensor module by;

grinding an inactive side of a silicon layer on which an IC resides until the silicon becomes thin and flexible;

mounting the silicon layer on a flexible substrate;

covering the silicon layer and the flexible substrate with a thin flexible battery; and

providing a receiver module in the form of a data processing device for analyzing the data.

38. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

40. (canceled)