Treatment techniques using ingestible device

• US 20090149708A1
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eric C. Leuthardt, Lowell L. Wood Jr, Michael D. Smith, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Roderick A. Hyde, Victoria Y.H. Wood
• Original Assignee: Eric C. Leuthardt, Lowell L. Wood Jr, Michael D. Smith, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Roderick A. Hyde, Victoria Y.H. Wood
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Wood, Victoria Y.H., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Application Number:
  US12/006,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20090149708A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/118
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4261 Evaluating exocrine secretion production A61B3/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control

Abstract

An apparatus, device, methods, computer program product, and systems are described that determine a control command at a patient internal device within a patient, and provide the control command to an ingestible device within the patient, the control command including instructions to the ingestible device to control an operation thereof.

Claims

1-112. -112. (canceled)

113. A method comprising:

receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient; and

controlling an operation of the ingestible device based on instructions within the control command.

115. The method of claim 113 wherein receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

receiving the control command based on status information associated with the ingestible device and previously provided to the patient internal device.

116. The method of claim 113 wherein receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

receiving the control command based on sensor information associated with the ingestible device and previously provided to the patient internal device.

128. The method of claim 113 wherein receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

receiving the control command as including a command to the ingestible device to control the operation including releasing medication from the ingestible device.

129. The method of claim 113 wherein receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

receiving the control command as including a command to the ingestible device to control the operation including releasing a specified amount of medication from the ingestible device.

130. The method of claim 113 wherein receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

receiving the control command as including a command to the ingestible device to control the operation including stopping a motion thereof.

131. The method of claim 113 wherein receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

receiving the control command as including a command to the ingestible device to control the operation including designating a location within the patient.

146. The method of claim 113 wherein receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

receiving the control command from the patient internal device at the ingestible device while the patient internal device and the ingestible device are in wireless communication with one another within the patient, and are spatially separated and mechanically decoupled from one another.

158. The method of claim 113 wherein controlling an operation of the ingestible device based on instructions within the control command comprises:

controlling the operation including releasing a specified amount of medication from the ingestible device, based on the instructions.

159. The method of claim 113 wherein controlling an operation of the ingestible device based on instructions within the control command comprises:

controlling the operation including stopping a motion of the ingestible device, based on the instructions.

160. The method of claim 113 wherein controlling an operation of the ingestible device based on instructions within the control command comprises:

controlling the operation including designating a location within the patient, based on the instructions.

163. The method of claim 113 wherein controlling an operation of the ingestible device based on instructions within the control command comprises:

controlling the operation including executing a treatment algorithm to execute a treatment of the patient based thereon, based on the instructions.

114. (canceled)

117-127. -127. (canceled)

132-145. -145. (canceled)

147-157. -157. (canceled)

161-162. -162. (canceled)

164-165. -165. (canceled)

166. A computer program product comprising:

a signal-bearing medium bearing;

(a) one or more instructions for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient; and

(b) one or more instructions for controlling an operation of the ingestible device based on instructions within the control command.

167. The computer program product of claim 166, wherein the signal-bearing medium includes a computer-readable medium.

168. The computer program product of claim 166, wherein the signal-bearing medium includes a recordable medium.

169. The computer program product of claim 166, wherein the signal-bearing medium includes a communications medium.

170. A system comprising:

means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient; and

means for controlling an operation of the ingestible device based on instructions within the control command.

172. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command based on status information associated with the ingestible device and previously provided to the patient internal device.

173. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command based on sensor information associated with the ingestible device and previously provided to the patient internal device.

174. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command based on a characteristic of a medication associated with the ingestible device, the characteristic having been previously provided to the patient internal device.

175. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command based on positional information of the ingestible device within the patient, the positional information having been previously provided to the patient internal device.

176. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command based on patient-external information available at the patient internal device.

177. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command based on sensor information associated with the patient internal device.

178. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command based on a sensed condition associated with the patient and sensed using a sensor associated with the patient internal device.

179. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command based on a condition associated with the patient and sensed using a sensor in communication with the patient internal device.

180. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command based on a physiological condition of the patient that is sensed using a sensor associated with the patient internal device.

182. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command based on passage of a pre-determined time interval.

183. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command as including a command to the ingestible device to control the operation including opening a chamber of the ingestible device.

184. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command as including a command to the ingestible device to control the operation including promoting a degradation of a surface of the ingestible device.

185. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command as including a command to the ingestible device to control the operation including releasing medication from the ingestible device.

192. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command as including a command to the ingestible device to control the operation including executing a treatment algorithm and to execute a treatment of the patient based thereon.

195. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command from the patient internal device, the patient internal device being implanted within the patient.

196. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command from the patient internal device, the patient internal device being inserted within the patient.

197. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command from the patient internal device, the patient internal device being movable within the patient.

198. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command from the patient internal device, the patient internal device including a secondary ingestible device within the patient.

199. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command from the patient internal device, the patient internal device including a secondary ingestible device within the patient having secondary digestion characteristics than the ingestible device.

201. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command from the patient internal device at the ingestible device while the patient internal device and the ingestible device are spatially separated from one another within the patient.

202. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command from the patient internal device at the ingestible device while the patient internal device and the ingestible device are mechanically decoupled from one another within the patient.

203. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command from the patient internal device at the ingestible device while the patient internal device and the ingestible device are in wireless communication with one another within the patient, and are spatially separated and mechanically decoupled from one another.

204. The system of claim 170 wherein means for receiving a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient comprises:

means for receiving the control command by wireless transmission at the ingestible device.

206. The system of claim 170 wherein means for controlling an operation of the ingestible device based on instructions within the control command comprises:

means for controlling the operation including means for releasing of at least one medication from the ingestible device, based on the instructions.

207. The system of claim 170 wherein means for controlling an operation of the ingestible device based on instructions within the control command comprises:

means for controlling the operation based on the instructions and in association with at least one secondary control command received from a patient-external device located externally to the patient.

213. The system of claim 170 wherein means for controlling an operation of the ingestible device based on instructions within the control command comprises:

means for controlling the operation including means for collecting one or more images by the ingestible device, based on the instructions.

215. The system of claim 170 wherein means for controlling an operation of the ingestible device based on instructions within the control command comprises:

means for controlling the operation including means for releasing a specified amount of medication from the ingestible device, based on the instructions.

171. (canceled)

181. (canceled)

186-191. -191. (canceled)

193-194. -194. (canceled)

200. (canceled)

205. (canceled)

208-212. -212. (canceled)

214. (canceled)

216-222. -222. (canceled)

223. A system comprising:

a computing device including computer-executable instructions that when executed on the computing device, cause the computing device to

receive a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient; and

control an operation of the ingestible device based on instructions within the control command.

224. The system of claim 223 wherein the computing device comprises:

a memory and a processor implemented in the ingestible device.

225. A system, the system comprising

(a) a receiver configured to receive a control command from a patient internal device within a patient at an ingestible device within the patient;

and

(b) control logic configured to control an operation of the ingestible device based on instructions within the control command.

226. The system of claim 225 wherein the receiver is configured to receive the control command at the ingestible device using a wireless communications link.

227. The system of claim 225 wherein the control logic is configured to control the operation of the ingestible device based on sensed data received from a sensor and incorporated into the control command by the patient internal device.

228-311. -311. (canceled)