ELECTRODYNAMIC FIELD STRENGTH TRIGGERING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method of triggering a sensor implanted within a living animal to measure an analyte in a medium within the living animal, the method comprising:
- coupling an inductive element of an external reader and an inductive element of the sensor within an electrodynamic field;
generating field strength data indicative of the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor;
determining, based on the field strength data, whether the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is sufficient for the sensor to perform an analyte measurement and convey the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader; and
if the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is determined to be sufficient, triggering an analyte measurement by the sensor and conveyance of the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for automatically triggering wireless power and data exchange between an external reader and an implanted sensor. The implanted sensor may measure the strength of an electrodynamic field received wirelessly from the reader and convey field strength data based on the measured strength of the received electrodynamic field to the reader. If the field strength data indicates that the strength of an electrodynamic field received by the sensor is sufficient for the implanted sensor to perform an analyte measurement, the reader may convey an analyte measurement command to the sensor, which may execute the analyte measurement command and convey measurement information back to the reader. The systems and methods may trigger the analyte measurement as the reader transiently passes within sufficient range/proximity to the implant (or vice versa).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of triggering a sensor implanted within a living animal to measure an analyte in a medium within the living animal, the method comprising:
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coupling an inductive element of an external reader and an inductive element of the sensor within an electrodynamic field; generating field strength data indicative of the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor; determining, based on the field strength data, whether the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is sufficient for the sensor to perform an analyte measurement and convey the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader; and if the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is determined to be sufficient, triggering an analyte measurement by the sensor and conveyance of the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of triggering a sensor implanted within a living animal to measure an analyte in a medium within the living animal, the method comprising:
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generating, using an external reader, field strength data indicative of the strength of coupling of an inductive element of the external reader and an inductive element of the sensor within an electrodynamic field; determining, using the external reader, based on the field strength data, whether the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is sufficient for the sensor to perform an analyte measurement and convey the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader; if the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is determined to be insufficient, repeating the generating and determining steps; if the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is determined to be sufficient, triggering, using the external reader, an analyte measurement by the sensor and conveyance the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader, wherein the triggering comprises conveying, using circuitry of the external reader, an analyte measurement command to the sensor; and decoding, using circuitry of the external reader, analyte measurement information conveyed from the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An external reader for triggering a sensor implanted within a living animal to measure an analyte in a medium within the living animal, the external reader comprising:
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(a) an inductive element configured to couple with an inductive element of the sensor within electrodynamic field; and (b) circuitry configured to; (i) generate field strength data indicative of the strength of coupling of an inductive element of the external reader and an inductive element of the sensor within an electrodynamic field; (ii) determine based on the field strength data, whether the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is sufficient for the sensor to perform an analyte measurement and convey the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader; (iii) if the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is determined to be insufficient, repeat the generating and determining steps; (iv) if the strength of the coupling of the inductive element of the external reader and the inductive element of the sensor is determined to be sufficient, trigger an analyte measurement by the sensor and conveyance the results of the analyte measurement to the external reader, wherein the triggering comprises conveying an analyte measurement command to the sensor; and (v) decode analyte measurement information conveyed from the sensor.
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Specification