Ingestible tracking and locating device

• US 20050228268A1
• Filed: 07/19/2004
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cary Cole
• Original Assignee: Cary Cole
• Inventors: Cole, Cary
• Granted Patent: US 7,554,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/420
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/162 Capsule shaped sensor housings, e.g. for swallowing or implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to an electronic tracking and locating system. More specifically, it discloses an electronic tracking and locating system, having a biocompatible housing such that it may be located within the body, either temporarily or for a longer duration.

Claims

1. A electronic tracking and locating component that may pass through the digestive tract of a human or animal, the component comprising:

a bio-compatible housing containing an electronic component adapted to provide an identification signal, the housing being resistant to digestive fluids such that the housing may pass through the digestive tract without allowing direct exposure of the electronic component to a body of the human or animal.

2. The component of claim 1, further comprising a biocompatible substance on the housing, the biocompatible substance adapted to delay the passage of the housing through the digestive tract.

3. The component of claim 2, bio-compatible substance comprises a bio-degradable substance.

4. The component of claim 2, where a portion of the bio-compatible substance swells in size upon extended contact with bodily fluids.

5. The component of claim 4, where the bio-compatible substance comprises a swellable polymer.

6. The component of claim 1, where the electronic component comprises an RFID transponder.

7. The component of claim 1, where the electronic component comprises a GPS transponder.

8. The component of claim 1, where the electronic component further comprises a power supply attached to or within the housing.

9. The component of claim 8, where the power-supply is a rechargeable power supply.

10. The component of claim 1, further comprising a receiver calibrated to receive at least one external signal and a transmitter to transmit a coded electromagnetic signal, where the receiver and transmitter are located on or within the housing.

44. The component of claim 2, where at least a portion of the biocompatible substance forms at least one protrusion exterior to the housing.

2a. a. (canceled)

11. A method for locating a human or animal comprising the steps of:

providing an activating signal from a transmitter to activate an electronic component located within the digestive tract of the human or animal;

activating the electronic component with the activating signal to generate a unique signal;

receiving the unique signal;

transmitting the unique signal through to an end-user remotely located from the human or animal.

12. The method of claim 11, where the electronic component comprises a radio frequency identification unit.

13. The method of claim 11, where the activating signal comprises an electromagnetic field, which generates a current within the electronic component.

14. The method of claim 11, where the electronic component comprises a global positioning satellite receiver, transmitter, and power supply.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising recording to unique signal at a location external to the electronic component.

16. The method of claim 15, where recording the unique signal at the location external to electronic component comprises recording the unique signal the transmitter.

17. The method of claim 15, where providing the activating signal occurs as a result of an input by the end-user.

18. A temporary electronic tracking and locating device comprising:

a swallowable biocompatible housing comprising a receiver calibrated to receive at least one coded external signal and a transmitter to transmit a coded electromagnetic signal, and a weakening material attached to the biocompatible housing, where the weakening material retains the device within the body until the weakening material weakens, thereby allowing the device to pass from the body.

19. The electronic tracking device of claim 18, further comprising a signal decoder in communication with the transmitter for determining a positional fix.

20. The electronic tracking device of claim 18, wherein the coded transmitted signal is the positional fix determined by the signal decoder.

21. The electronic tracking device of claim 18, wherein the receiver communicates with a passive mode to active mode activator which upon receiving a coded activating signal energizes the transmitter to transmit a coded signal through an antenna to be received by a remotely located receiver.

22. The electronic tracking device of claim 18, further comprising firmware to decode incoming signals, code outgoing signals, trigger the change between active and passive modes, and manage other device operations.

23. The electronic tracking device of claim 18, wherein the housing includes fixed or actuatable extension members that attach to the stomach wall.

24. The electronic tracking device of claim 18, wherein the housing can extend or expand so the device will not pass from the stomach into the intestinal tract.

25. The electronic tracking device of claim 18, wherein the housing is affixed to the stomach wall by coating the device, with a material that binds to the stomach wall.

26. The electronic tracking device of claim 18, wherein the housing affixment is constructed from a weakening material.

27. The electronic tracking device of claim 18, further comprising a power supply.

28. The electronic tracking device of claim 27, where the power supply is a battery.

29. The electronic tracking device of claim 28, where the battery is self-recharging

30. The electronic tracking device of claim 29, where the battery recharges via the host body'"'"'s galvanic energy or heat.

31. The electronic tracking device of claim 27, where the power supply recharges via the host body'"'"'s galvanic energy or heat.

32. The electronic tracking device of claim 28, wherein the battery recharges via capacity coupling.

33. The electronic tracking device of claim 28, wherein the battery recharges via electromagnetic induction.

34. The electronic tracking device of claim 18, wherein the coded transmitted signal is a signal homing beacon.

35. A method for locating a human or animal comprising the steps of:

placing a housing inside the stomach and/or digestive tract comprising a receiver calibrated to receive at least one external coded signal and a transmitter to transmit a coded electromagnetic signal, and a weakening material attached to the biocompatible housing, where the weakening material retains the device within the body until the weakening material weakens, thereby allowing the device to pass from the body.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising receiving a coded activating signal, the signal initiating a determination of a positional fix;

and transmitting the positional fix to a remotely located receiver.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of receiving a coded deactivation signal after the remotely located receiver has received the positional fix.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the coded signals are encrypted.

39. The method of claim 35, where placing a housing inside the stomach comprises swallowing the housing.

40. The method of claim 35, where placing a housing inside the stomach comprises surgically placing the housing.

41. The method of claim 35, where placing a housing inside the stomach comprises endoscopically placing the housing.

42. The method of claim 35, further comprising receiving a coded activating signal;

transmitting, upon activation, a signal homing beacon to a remotely located receiver; and

homing in on the transmitted signal beacon.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the signal beacon is received by a receiver selected from the group consisting of a cell phone tower and/or a plurality of orbiting satellites.