Communication System with Partial Power Source
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The system of the present invention includes a conductive element, an electronic component, and a partial power source in the form of dissimilar materials. Upon contact with a conducting fluid, a voltage potential is created and the power source is completed, which activates the system. The electronic component controls the conductance between the dissimilar materials to produce a unique current signature. The system can be used in a variety of different applications, including as components of ingestible identifiers, such as may be found in ingestible event markers, e.g., pharma-informatics enabled pharmaceutical compositions.
7 Citations
25 Claims
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1-4. -4. (canceled)
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5. An electronic device comprising:
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a control unit; and a partial power source comprising; a first material electrically coupled to the control unit; and a second material electrically coupled to the control unit and electrically isolated from the first material, wherein the first material and the second material are selected to provide a voltage potential difference when in contact with a conducting medium, and wherein the control unit changes conductance between the first material and the second material such that variation in magnitude of a current corresponds to information the control unit encodes in the current. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electronic device comprising:
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a control unit to alter conductance of the device; a partial power source comprising; a first material electrically coupled to the control unit; and a second material electrically coupled to the control unit and electrically isolated from the first material; and a non-conducting material positioned to extend the current path between the first material and the second material wherein the first material and the second material are selected to provide a voltage potential difference when in contact with a conducting medium, and wherein the control unit alters conductance between the first material and the second material such that variation in the magnitude of a current flow, which results when the first material and the second material are in contact with the conducting medium that forms a conducting path between the first material and the second material, corresponds to information that the control unit encodes in the current flow. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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22. An apparatus comprising:
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a communication device to provide a unique signal, wherein the device comprises; a support structure including a control unit to control the apparatus'"'"' conductance; a first material physically associated with the support structure; a second material physically associated with the support structure at a location different from the location of the first material, wherein the first material and the second material are electrically connected through the control unit, and wherein the first material and the second material are selected to provide a voltage potential difference to power the apparatus; and an isolating medium encapsulating the device to create an isolated unit, wherein the isolating medium is non-conducting. - View Dependent Claims (21, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification