Electronically Controlled Ingestible Capsule for Sampling Fluids in Alimentary Tract
First Claim
1. An ingestible electrical capsule system (1400) for acquiring samples along the alimentary tract of a patient comprising:
- a housing (102) having at least one aperture (970);
at least one impervious collection chamber (1402) disposed within said housing (102) and having at least one aperture in fluid communication with a respective aperture of the at least one aperture (970) of the housing (102);
at least one closure member (966), individual closure members of the at least one closure member (966) associated with a respective aperture of the at least one collection chamber (1402), wherein the individual closure members are actuatable between an open state for permitting flow of the fluid through the respective closure member into the associated collection chamber (1402) for acquiring a sample of ambient fluid, and a closed state for substantially blocking flow of fluid into and out of the associated collection chamber (1402) for storing the acquired sample; and
control circuitry (906) for controlling actuation of said at least one closure member (966).
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ingestible electrical capsule system (1400) for acquiring samples along the alimentary tract of a patient is provided. The capsule system (1400) includes a housing (102) having at least one aperture (970); at least one impervious collection chamber (1402) disposed within the housing (102) and having at least one aperture in fluid communication with a respective aperture of the housing (102); and at least one closure member (966). Individual closure members (966) are associated with a respective aperture of the at least one collection chamber (1402), wherein the individual closure members (966) are actuatable between an open state for permitting flow of the fluid through the respective closure member into the associated collection chamber (1402) for acquiring a sample of ambient fluid, and a closed state for substantially blocking flow of fluid into and out of the associated collection chamber (1402) for storing the acquired sample. The capsule system (1400) further includes control circuitry (906) for controlling actuation of the at least one closure member (966).
187 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An ingestible electrical capsule system (1400) for acquiring samples along the alimentary tract of a patient comprising:
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a housing (102) having at least one aperture (970); at least one impervious collection chamber (1402) disposed within said housing (102) and having at least one aperture in fluid communication with a respective aperture of the at least one aperture (970) of the housing (102); at least one closure member (966), individual closure members of the at least one closure member (966) associated with a respective aperture of the at least one collection chamber (1402), wherein the individual closure members are actuatable between an open state for permitting flow of the fluid through the respective closure member into the associated collection chamber (1402) for acquiring a sample of ambient fluid, and a closed state for substantially blocking flow of fluid into and out of the associated collection chamber (1402) for storing the acquired sample; and control circuitry (906) for controlling actuation of said at least one closure member (966). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An ingestible electrical capsule system (1400) for traversing the alimentary tract of a patient comprising:
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a housing (102); at least one expulsion sensor (904) for sensing expulsion or imminent expulsion of the capsule system (1400) from the alimentary tract and generating corresponding signals; an alert device (1440) for selectively generating an alert; and control circuitry (906) for processing the corresponding signals generated by the expulsion sensor (904) for determining when the corresponding signals are indicative of sensed expulsion or imminent expulsion, and controlling the alert device (1440) to generate the alert when it is determined that the corresponding signals indicate sensed expulsion or imminent expulsion. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for generating an alert traversing upon expulsion or imminent expulsion from the alimentary tract of a device traversing the digestive tract comprising the steps of:
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sensing expulsion or imminent expulsion of the device from the alimentary tract and generating corresponding signals; processing the corresponding signals; determining when the corresponding signals are indicative of sensed expulsion or imminent expulsion, and generating an alert when it is determined that the corresponding signals indicate sensed expulsion or imminent expulsion. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification