DIGITAL ASIC SENSOR PLATFORM
First Claim
1. An optical sensor for implantation within a living animal and measurement of a concentration of an analyte in a medium within the living animal, the optical sensor comprising:
- indicator molecules having an optical characteristic responsive to the concentration of the analyte, the indicator molecules being configured to interact with the analyte in the medium within the living animal when the optical sensor is implanted within the living animal;
a semiconductor substrate;
a first photodetector mounted on or fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to output a first analog light measurement signal indicative of the amount of light received by the first photodetector;
a second photodetector mounted on or fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to output a second analog light measurement signal indicative of the amount of light received by the second photodetector, wherein the first and second photodetectors are symmetrically arranged relative to a center line running between the first and second photodetectors;
a light source configured to emit excitation light to the indicator molecules from an emission point aligned on the center line running between the first and second photodetectors;
a temperature transducer mounted on or fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to output an analog temperature measurement signal indicative of a temperature of the optical sensor;
a comparator fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to output an analog light difference measurement signal indicative of a difference between the first and second analog light measurement signals;
an analog to digital converter (ADC) fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to convert (i) the analog temperature measurement signal to a digital temperature measurement signal, (ii) the first analog light measurement signal to a first digital light measurement signal, (iii) the second analog light measurement signal to a second digital light measurement signal and (iv) the analog light difference measurement signal to a digital light difference measurement signal;
an inductive element;
an input/output circuit fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to wirelessly transmit via the inductive element measurement information and wirelessly receive via the inductive element a measurement command and power; and
a measurement controller fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to;
(i) in accordance with the measurement command, control the light source;
(ii) generate the measurement information in accordance with (a) the digital temperature measurement signal, (b) the first digital light measurement signal, (c) the second digital light measurement signal and (d) the digital light difference measurement signal; and
(iii) control the input/output circuit to wirelessly transmit the measurement information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an optical sensor that may be implanted within a living animal (e.g., a human) and may be used to measure the concentration of an analyte in a medium within the animal. The optical sensor may wirelessly receive and may be capable of bi-directional data communication. The optical sensor may include a semiconductor substrate in which various circuit components, one or more photodectors and/or a light source may be fabricated. The circuit components fabricated in the semiconductor substrate may include a comparator, an analog to digital converter, a temperature transducer, a measurement controller, a rectifier and/or a nonvolatile storage medium. The comparator may output a signal indicative of the difference between the outputs of first and second photodetectors. The measurement controller may receive digitized temperature, photodetector and/or comparator measurements and generate measurement information, which may be wirelessly transmitted from the optical sensor.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. An optical sensor for implantation within a living animal and measurement of a concentration of an analyte in a medium within the living animal, the optical sensor comprising:
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indicator molecules having an optical characteristic responsive to the concentration of the analyte, the indicator molecules being configured to interact with the analyte in the medium within the living animal when the optical sensor is implanted within the living animal; a semiconductor substrate; a first photodetector mounted on or fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to output a first analog light measurement signal indicative of the amount of light received by the first photodetector; a second photodetector mounted on or fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to output a second analog light measurement signal indicative of the amount of light received by the second photodetector, wherein the first and second photodetectors are symmetrically arranged relative to a center line running between the first and second photodetectors; a light source configured to emit excitation light to the indicator molecules from an emission point aligned on the center line running between the first and second photodetectors; a temperature transducer mounted on or fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to output an analog temperature measurement signal indicative of a temperature of the optical sensor; a comparator fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to output an analog light difference measurement signal indicative of a difference between the first and second analog light measurement signals; an analog to digital converter (ADC) fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to convert (i) the analog temperature measurement signal to a digital temperature measurement signal, (ii) the first analog light measurement signal to a first digital light measurement signal, (iii) the second analog light measurement signal to a second digital light measurement signal and (iv) the analog light difference measurement signal to a digital light difference measurement signal; an inductive element; an input/output circuit fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to wirelessly transmit via the inductive element measurement information and wirelessly receive via the inductive element a measurement command and power; and a measurement controller fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to; (i) in accordance with the measurement command, control the light source; (ii) generate the measurement information in accordance with (a) the digital temperature measurement signal, (b) the first digital light measurement signal, (c) the second digital light measurement signal and (d) the digital light difference measurement signal; and (iii) control the input/output circuit to wirelessly transmit the measurement information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of controlling an optical sensor implanted within a living animal to measure a concentration of an analyte in a medium within the living animal, the method comprising:
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(a) wirelessly receiving, by way of an inductive element and an input/output circuit of the optical sensor implanted within the living animal, a measurement command and power, wherein the input/output circuit is fabricated in a semiconductor substrate of the optical sensor; (b) following receipt of the measurement command, turning a light source of the optical sensor on and off one or more times, wherein the light source is configured to, when turned on, irradiate indicator molecules having an optical characteristic responsive to the concentration of the analyte with excitation light, the indicator molecules being configured to interact with the analyte in the medium within the living animal when the optical sensor is implanted within the living animal; (c) while the light source is turned on; (i) generating, by way of a temperature transducer mounted on or fabricated in the semiconductor substrate, a first analog temperature measurement signal indicative of a temperature of the optical sensor; (ii) generating, by way of a first photodetector mounted on or fabricated in the semiconductor substrate, a first analog light measurement signal indicative of the amount of light received by the first photodetector; (iii) generating, by way of a second photodetector mounted on or fabricated in the semiconductor substrate, a second analog light measurement signal indicative of the amount of light received by the second photodetector; and (iv) generating, by way of a comparator fabricated in the semiconductor substrate, an analog light difference measurement signal indicative of a difference between the first and second analog light measurement signals; and (d) while the light source is turned off; (i) generating, by way of the temperature transducer, a second analog temperature measurement signal indicative of a temperature of the optical sensor; (ii) generating, by way of the first photodetector, a first analog ambient light measurement signal indicative of the amount of light received by the first photodetector; and (iii) generating, by way of the second photodetector, a second analog ambient light measurement signal indicative of the amount of light received by the second photodetector; (e) while the light source is turned on or turned off; (i) converting, by way of an analog to digital converter (ADC) fabricated in the semiconductor substrate, the first analog temperature measurement signal to a first digital temperature measurement signal; (ii) converting, by way of the ADC, the first analog light measurement signal to a first digital light measurement signal; (iii) converting, by way of the ADC, the second analog light measurement signal to a second digital light measurement signal; (iv) converting, by way of the ADC, the analog light difference measurement signal to a digital light difference measurement signal; (v) converting, by way of the ADC, the second analog temperature measurement signal to a second digital temperature measurement signal; (vi) converting, by way of the ADC, the first ambient analog light measurement signal to a first digital ambient light measurement signal; and (vii) converting, by way of the ADC, the second analog ambient light measurement signal to a second digital ambient light measurement signal; (f) generating, by way of a measurement controller fabricated in the semiconductor substrate, measurement information in accordance with (i) the first digital temperature measurement signal, (ii) the first digital light measurement signal, (iii) the second digital light measurement signal, (iv) the digital light difference measurement signal, (v) the second digital temperature measurement signal, (vi) the first digital ambient light measurement signal and (vii) the second digital ambient light measurement signal; and (g) transmitting, by way of the input/output circuit and inductive element, the measurement information; wherein steps (a) through (g) are performed while the optical sensor is implanted within the living animal, and the measurement information is indicative of the concentration of the analyte in the medium within the living animal. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A sensor for implantation within a living animal and measurement of a concentration of an analyte in a medium within the living animal, the optical sensor comprising:
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indicator molecules having an optical characteristic responsive to the concentration of the analyte, the indicator molecules being configured to interact with the analyte in the medium within the living animal when the optical sensor is implanted within the living animal; a semiconductor substrate; a photodiode fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to output an analog light measurement signal indicative of the amount of light received by the photodiode; a light source configured to emit excitation light to the indicator molecules; an analog to digital converter fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to convert the analog light measurement signal to a digital light measurement signal; an inductive element; an input/output circuit fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to wirelessly transmit via the inductive element measurement information and wirelessly receive via the inductive element a measurement command and power; and a measurement controller fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to; (i) in accordance with the measurement command, control the light source; (ii) generate the measurement information in accordance with the digital light measurement signal; and (iii) control the input/output circuit to wirelessly transmit the measurement information. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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Specification