Substance delivery system
First Claim
1. A delivery system, comprising:
- a delivery device including;
a fluid-containing structure having at least one outlet through which fluid may exit the fluid-containing structure;
a delivery fluid contained within the fluid-containing structure;
a primary material contained within the fluid-containing structure and having a controllable effective concentration in the delivery fluid; and
at least one electromagnetically responsive control element adapted for modifying the distribution of the primary material between a first active form carried in the delivery fluid and a second form in response to an incident electromagnetic control signal to modify the effective concentration of the primary material in the delivery fluid, the effective concentration being the concentration of the first active form in the delivery fluid; and
a remote controller including;
an electromagnetic signal generator capable of producing an electromagnetic control signal sufficient to activate the electromagnetically responsive control element of the delivery device located in an environment to change the effective concentration of the primary material in the delivery fluid within the fluid-containing structure of the delivery device; and
an electromagnetic signal transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting the electromagnetic control signal to the electromagnetically responsive control element of the delivery device in the environment
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of a system including a remotely controlled substance delivery device and associated controller are described. Methods of use and control of the device are also disclosed. According to some embodiments, a delivery device or related device may be placed in an environment in order to pump a material into the environment or into an additional fluid handling structure within the device. Exemplary environments include a body of an organism, a body of water, or an enclosed volume of a fluid. The concentration of a substance in the fluid to be delivered may be modified by a remote control signal. In selected embodiments, a magnetic field, an electric field, or electromagnetic control signal may be used.
126 Citations
69 Claims
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1. A delivery system, comprising:
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a delivery device including;
a fluid-containing structure having at least one outlet through which fluid may exit the fluid-containing structure;
a delivery fluid contained within the fluid-containing structure;
a primary material contained within the fluid-containing structure and having a controllable effective concentration in the delivery fluid; and
at least one electromagnetically responsive control element adapted for modifying the distribution of the primary material between a first active form carried in the delivery fluid and a second form in response to an incident electromagnetic control signal to modify the effective concentration of the primary material in the delivery fluid, the effective concentration being the concentration of the first active form in the delivery fluid; and
a remote controller including;
an electromagnetic signal generator capable of producing an electromagnetic control signal sufficient to activate the electromagnetically responsive control element of the delivery device located in an environment to change the effective concentration of the primary material in the delivery fluid within the fluid-containing structure of the delivery device; and
an electromagnetic signal transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting the electromagnetic control signal to the electromagnetically responsive control element of the delivery device in the environment - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 20, 23, 24, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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25. A method of delivering a material including:
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pumping a delivery fluid containing a primary material from a delivery reservoir of a delivery device to a downstream location at a first pumping rate; and
controlling the effective concentration of the primary material in the delivery fluid in response to a remotely transmitted electromagnetic control signal. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65)
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37. A method of delivering a material, including:
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receiving a first electromagnetic control signal with a first electromagnetically responsive control element in a delivery device, the delivery device including a fluid-containing structure containing a delivery fluid and a primary material distributed between a first active form carried in the delivery fluid and a second form, the primary material having a first effective concentration in the delivery fluid equal to the concentration of the first active form in the delivery fluid;
responsive to receipt of the first electromagnetic control signal by the first electromagnetically responsive control element, modifying the distribution of the primary material between the first active form and the second form, the primary material having a second effective concentration in the delivery fluid following the modification of the distribution of the primary material between the first active form and the second form; and
pumping the delivery fluid containing the primary material at the second effective concentration from the fluid-containing structure of the delivery device to a downstream location. - View Dependent Claims (42, 45, 46, 47, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification