BIO-MEDICAL UNIT WITH POWER HARVESTING MODULE AND RF COMMUNICATION

• US 20110077714A1
• Filed: 05/20/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0009 involving or responsive to electricity, magnetism or acoustic waves; Galenical aspects of sonophoresis, iontophoresis, electroporation or electroosmosis microelectromechanical systems A61K9/0097
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0007 having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3507 with implanted devices, e.g. external control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/002 in combination with another treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A bio-medical unit includes a power harvesting module and an RF communication module. The power harvesting module generates a power supply voltage from the electromagnetic signal. The RF communication module interprets a predetermined pattern of the transmitting of the electromagnetic signal to determine null intervals; receives a downstream RF communication signal during at least one of the null intervals; converts the downstream RF communication signal into downstream information; converts upstream information into an upstream RF communication signal; and/or transmits the upstream RF communication signal during one or more of the null intervals.

Claims

1. A medical system comprises:

a transmitter unit that includes;

an electromagnetic transmitter operable to transmit an electromagnetic signal in a predetermined pattern; and

a radio frequency (RF) communication transmitter operable to transmit a downstream RF communication signal;

a receiver unit that includes;

an electromagnetic receiver operable to receive the electromagnetic signal; and

a RF communication receiver operable to receive an upstream RF communication signal; and

a bio-medical unit for implanting into a body, wherein the bio-medical unit includes;

a power harvesting module operable to generate a power supply voltage from the electromagnetic signal;

a RF communication module powered by the power supply voltage and operable to;

interpret the predetermined pattern of the transmitting of the electromagnetic signal to determine null intervals;

receive the downstream RF communication signal during at least one of the null intervals;

convert the downstream RF communication signal into downstream information;

convert upstream information into the upstream RF communication signal; and

transmit the upstream RF communication signal during one or more of the null intervals.

2. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic signal comprises:

a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal having at least one of a radio frequency (RF) component and a gradient magnetic field component.

3. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the bio-medical unit further comprises:

a processing module operable to;

convert the downstream information into at least one of downstream data and a downstream instruction; and

convert at least one of an upstream instruction and upstream data into the upstream information; and

a function module operable to;

generate the at least one of an upstream instruction and the upstream data; and

perform a bio-medical function based on the at least one of downstream data and the downstream instruction.

4. The medical system of claim 3 further comprises:

the processing module further operable to;

interpret the downstream instruction to determine whether the functional module is to be enabled to receive an echo signal, wherein the echo signal corresponds to the electromagnetic signal reflecting off of an internal portion of the body; and

enable the functional module when the functional module is to be enabled to receive an echo signal;

the functional module is further operable to;

receive the echo signal; and

convert the echo signal into echo information; and

the processing module is further operable to convert the echo information into the upstream information.

5. The medical system of claim 4, wherein the processing module is further operable to perform at least one of:

passively convert the echo information into the upstream information; and

actively convert the echo information into the upstream information.

6. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the RF communication module further functions to:

determine whether an electromagnetic function is active;

when the electromagnetic function is active, determine the predetermined pattern;

determine the at least one null interval for receiving the downstream RF communication signal;

determine whether the upstream RF communication is pending; and

when the upstream RF communication is pending, determine the one or more of the null intervals.

7. An electromagnetic based medical device comprises:

a transmitter unit that includes;

an electromagnetic transmitter operable to transmit an electromagnetic signal in a predetermined pattern; and

a radio frequency (RF) communication transmitter operable to transmit a downstream RF communication signal to one or more bio-medical units that are implanted within a body during at least one of a plurality of nulls of the predetermined pattern; and

a receiver unit that includes;

an electromagnetic receiver operable to receive the electromagnetic signal; and

a RF communication receiver operable to receive an upstream RF communication signal from the one or more bio-medical units during one or more of the plurality of nulls of the predetermined pattern.

8. The electromagnetic based medical device of claim 7, wherein the electromagnetic signal comprises:

a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal having at least one of a radio frequency (RF) component and a gradient magnetic field component.

9. The electromagnetic based medical device of claim 7 further comprises:

a processing module operable to;

convert at least one of downstream data and a downstream instruction into downstream information; and

convert upstream information into at least one of an upstream instruction and upstream data;

the transmitter unit further operable to convert the downstream information into the downstream RF communication signal; and

the receiver unit further operable to convert the upstream RF communication signal into the upstream information.

10. The electromagnetic based medical device of claim 9 further comprises:

the processing module further operable to;

interpret the upstream data to obtain an echo signal, wherein the echo signal corresponds to the electromagnetic signal reflecting off of an internal portion of the body; and

utilize the echo signal in conjunction with the received electromagnetic signal to generate an internal image of the body.

11. A bio-medical unit for implanting into a body, the bio-medical unit comprises:

a power harvesting module operable to generate a power supply voltage from the electromagnetic signal; and

a radio frequency (RF) communication module powered by the power supply voltage and operable to;

interpret the predetermined pattern of the transmitting of the electromagnetic signal to determine null intervals;

receive the downstream RF communication signal during at least one of the null intervals;

convert the downstream RF communication signal into downstream information;

convert upstream information into the upstream RF communication signal; and

transmitting the upstream RF communication signal during one or more of the null intervals.

12. The bio-medical unit of claim 11, wherein the electromagnetic signal comprises:

a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal having at least one of a radio frequency (RF) component and a gradient magnetic field component.

13. The bio-medical unit of claim 11 further comprises:

a processing module operable to;

convert the downstream information into at least one of downstream data and a downstream instruction; and

convert at least one of an upstream instruction and upstream data into the upstream information; and

a function module operable to perform at least one of;

generate the at least one of an upstream instruction and the upstream data; and

perform a bio-medical function based on the at least one of downstream data and the downstream instruction.

14. The bio-medical unit of claim 13 further comprises:

the processing module further operable to;

interpret the downstream instruction to determine whether the functional module is to be enabled to receive an echo signal, wherein the echo signal corresponds to the electromagnetic signal reflecting off of an internal portion of the body; and

enable the functional module when the functional module is to be enabled to receive an echo signal;

the functional module is further operable to;

receive the echo signal; and

convert the echo signal into echo information; and

the processing module is further operable to convert the echo information into the upstream information.

15. The bio-medical unit of claim 14, wherein the processing module is further operable to perform at least one of:

passively convert the echo information into the upstream information; and

actively convert the echo information into the upstream information.

16. The bio-medical unit of claim 11, wherein the RF communication module further functions to:

determine whether an electromagnetic function is active;

when the electromagnetic function is active, determine the predetermined pattern;

determine the at least one null interval for receiving the downstream RF communication signal;

determine whether the upstream RF communication is pending; and

when the upstream RF communication is pending, determine the one or more of the null intervals.