System for determining relative distance(s) and/or angle(s) between at least two points

• US 20050104577A1
• Filed: 08/18/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research
• Original Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research
• Inventors: Karr, Lawrence J., Schulman, Joseph H., Matei, Eusebiu
• Granted Patent: US 8,684,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/207.130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/07 Endoradiosondes
• 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 5/1071 measuring angles, e.g. using goniometers A61B5/1123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/72 Bioelectric control, e.g. myoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5058 having means for restoring the perception of senses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/704 computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/705 Electromagnetic data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders

Abstract

Systems and method utilizing microelectronic devices for determining relative positions such as distances and/or angles between at least two points is described. The points may be locations of parts of the body such as the fingers on a person'"'"'s hand. A first microelectronic device is adapted to emit magnetic signals and at least a second microelectronic device is adapted to receive the magnetic signals, wherein a controller is adapted to communicate with the first and second microelectronic devices. The second microelectronic device and/or the controller are adapted to determine a distance and angle between the first and the second microelectronic devices based on the strength of the magnetic signals received by the second microelectronic device.

Claims

1. A system for determining relative positions of two points, the system comprising:

a first microelectronic device adapted to emit magnetic signals;

a second microelectronic device adapted to receive the magnetic signals; and

a controller in communication with the first and second microelectronic devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second microelectronic device measures the strength of the received magnetic signals and is capable of determining the distance between the first and second microelectronic devices.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second microelectronic device transmits the measurement of the strength of the received magnetic signals to the controller and wherein the controller determines the distance between the first and second microelectronic devices based on the strength of the received magnetic signals.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

an external electronic device, wherein the external electronic device is adapted to transmit power to the first and second microelectronic devices.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the external electronic device is adapted to transmit command signals to the controller.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the first and second microelectronic devices are implantable in a living body.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each of the first and second microelectronic devices comprise a rechargeable power source therein.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller determines the angle between the first and second microelectronic devices based on the distance between the first and second microelectronic devices.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is adapted to command the second microelectronic device to emit the magnetic signals and the first microelectronic device to receive the magnetic signals.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second microelectronic devices are less than 6 mm in lateral dimension and less than 60 mm in axial dimension.

11. A system for determining relative positions of body parts, the system comprising:

a first microelectronic device adapted to emit magnetic signals having a first frequency;

a plurality of second microelectronic devices adapted to receive the magnetic signals having the first frequency;

a controller in communication with the first microelectronic device and the plurality of the second microelectronic devices.

12. A system of claim 11, wherein the controller commands each of the plurality of second microelectronic devices to communicate with the controller at different predetermined time periods.

13. A system of claim 11, wherein the controller commands each of the plurality of second microelectronic devices to communicate with the controller on different frequencies according to a frequency-division-multiple-access (FDMA) communication format.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of second microelectronic devices measure the strength of the received magnetic signals and is capable of determining its distance with the first microelectronic device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of second microelectronic devices transmits the measurement of the strength of the received magnetic signals to the controller and wherein the controller determines each distance between the first microelectronic device and each of the plurality of second microelectronic devices.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the first microelectronic device and the plurality of the second microelectronic devices are less than 6 mm in lateral dimension and less than 60 mm in axial dimension.

17. A system for determining relative positions of body parts, the system comprising:

a first subsystem, comprising;

a first microelectronic device adapted to emit magnetic signals having a first frequency;

a plurality of second microelectronic devices adapted to receive the magnetic signals having the first frequency;

a second subsystem, comprising;

a third microelectronic device adapted to emit magnetic signals having a second frequency;

a plurality of fourth microelectronic devices adapted to receive the magnetic signals having the second frequency;

a controller in communication with the first microelectronic device, the plurality of second microelectronic devices, the third microelectronic device and the plurality of fourth microelectronic devices.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of second microelectronic devices and the plurality of fourth microelectronic devices each comprise a resonator having a predetermined bandwidth.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency fall within the resonator bandwidth.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of second microelectronic devices and the plurality of fourth microelectronic devices comprise a signal processor means, whereby each selectively processes the magnetic signals having the first frequency and the second frequency to determine the strength of the magnetic signals received.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first microelectronic device, the plurality of second microelectronic devices, the third microelectronic device and the plurality of fourth microelectronic devices are less than 6 mm in lateral dimension and less than 60 mm in axial dimension.

22. A method for determining relative positions of two points, comprising:

providing a first microelectronic device adapted to emit magnetic signals;

providing a second microelectronic device adapted to receive the magnetic signals;

communicating with the first and second microelectronic devices;

measuring the strength of the magnetic signals received by the second microelectronic device;

determining the distance between the first microelectronic device and the second microelectronic device based on the strength of the magnetic signals received.