Method and apparatus for transdermal communication
First Claim
1. A method for transdermal communication between an external control unit having a source of magnetic energy and an implanted device implanted within and surrounding by a plurality of skin layers, said method comprising implanting a Hail Effect sensor within and surrounded by the layers of skin, having an input and output, in close proximity to the implanted device wherein said implanted device has an input;
- coupling said output of said Hail Effect sensor to said input of said implanted device; and
magnetically coupling a source of magnetic energy from the external control unit outside of the layers of skin to said input of said Hall Effect sensor thereby allowing the external control unit to transdermally communicate with said implanted device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A transdermal communication apparatus and method is disclosed which utilizes a Hall Effect sensor to be implanted within a body and which acts to receive communication transmissions from an externally placed source. The sensor provides improvements relative to the ease of implantations, reliability, speed of processing, and communication integrity.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for transdermal communication between an external control unit having a source of magnetic energy and an implanted device implanted within and surrounding by a plurality of skin layers, said method comprising implanting a Hail Effect sensor within and surrounded by the layers of skin, having an input and output, in close proximity to the implanted device wherein said implanted device has an input;
- coupling said output of said Hail Effect sensor to said input of said implanted device; and
magnetically coupling a source of magnetic energy from the external control unit outside of the layers of skin to said input of said Hall Effect sensor thereby allowing the external control unit to transdermally communicate with said implanted device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- coupling said output of said Hail Effect sensor to said input of said implanted device; and
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7. A method for transdermal communication between an external control unit having a source of magnetic energy and a bearing aid device implanted within a portion of a body of an organism wherein the body has a plurality of skin layers and wherein the implanted bearing aid device is substantially surrounded by said plurality of skin layers, said method comprising implanting a Hall Effect sensor, having an input and output, within the body and in close proximity to the implanted bearing aid device;
- coupling a concentrator to said input of said Hall Effect sensor;
transdermally coupling the source of magnetic energy of the external control unit to said concentrator; and
coupling said output of said Hall Effect sensor to said implanted bearing aid device thereby allowing the external control unit to transdermally communicate with said implanted bearing aid device.
- coupling a concentrator to said input of said Hall Effect sensor;
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8. A method for transdermal communication between an external control unit having a source of magnetic field and a bearing aid device, wherein the bearing aid device is implanted within an ear and is substantially surrounded by a plurality of layers of skin, said method comprising implanting a Hall Effect sensor, having an input and output, under said plurality of layers of skin within the ear;
- coupling said output of said Hall Effect sensor to the bearing aid device; and
coupling the magnetic field of the external control unit to said input of said Hall Effect sensor thereby allowing the external control unit to transdermally communicate with said implanted bearing aid device. - View Dependent Claims (9)
- coupling said output of said Hall Effect sensor to the bearing aid device; and
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10. A transdermal receiver allowing communication between a bearing aid device implanted within and surrounded by a plurality of skin layers and an external device outside of the plurality skin layers comprising a Hall Effect sensor implanted within and surrounding by the plurality of skin layers;
- means for coupling said sensor to the implanted bearing aid device; and
means for magnetically coupling said sensor to the external device for transdermal communication between said implanted bearing aid and said external device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
- means for coupling said sensor to the implanted bearing aid device; and
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13. A transdermal communication device for communicating between a device implanted within a body under a plurality of skin layers and an external control means having a source of magnetic energy, comprising Hall Effect sensor means, having an input and output, for placement within the body and under a plurality of skin layers and for transdermally coupling the source of magnetic energy from the external control means to the implanted device;
- first coupling means for coupling said output of said Hall Effect sensor means to said implanted device; and
second coupling means for magnetically coupling said input of said Hall Effect sensor means transdermally to said source of magnetic energy from said external control means. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
- first coupling means for coupling said output of said Hall Effect sensor means to said implanted device; and
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17. A transdermal receiver for communication between a bearing aid implanted within an ear under a plurality of layers of skin above the ear canal, and an external control unit, comprising a source of magnetic energy from the external control unit, a Hall Effect sensor means, having an input, implanted within the dermal layer surrounding the ear canal for coupling said source of magnetic energy to the implanted bearing aid;
- first coupling means for communicating a signal from said sensor to said implanted bearing aid; and
second coupling means for magnetically coupling said source of magnetic energy to said input of said sensor. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
- first coupling means for communicating a signal from said sensor to said implanted bearing aid; and
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20. A transdermal communication device allowing communication between a medical device implanted under a plurality of skin layers and an external device having transmitting means outside of said plurality of skin layers, said transdermal communication device comprising a Hall Effect sensor implanted under the plurality of skin layers, means for coupling the sensor to the implanted medical device, and the transmitting means of the external device having a control unit generating magnetic flux penetrating the plurality of skin layers for transdermally communicating between said external device and said implanted medical device.
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21. A transdermal communication device for communication between a medical device, implanted under a plurality of layers of skin, and an external control unit, comprising an external control unit outside of the plurality of skin layers for generating magnetic flux penetrating the skin layers, a Hall Effect sensor means implatned under a plurality of skin layers for coupling said magnetic flux to the implanted medical device, coupling means for communicating a signal from said sensor to said implanted device, and a concentrator for magnetically coupling said magnetic flux from said external control unit to said Hall Effect sensor for transdermally communicating between said external control unit and said implanted medical device.
Specification