Sampling capsule and process
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An ingestible capsule for removal of a fluid sample from the alimentary canal of an animal comprising, an electric power source;
- a radio signal transmitting means in enabling circuitry with said power source, said transmitting means being suitable for transmitting a radio signal the location from which the transmission emanates being trackable through animal tissue;
a fluid sample storage compartment;
means for obtaining a fluid sample from said alimentary canal;
all encased in an essentially non-digestible outer shell that is configured to pass through said alimentary canal.
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Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
An ingestible capsule and process for sampling, particularly repeatable sampling, of fluids in the alimentary canal is disclosed wherein an essentially non-digestible capsule contains an electric energy emitting means, a radio signal transmitting means, a sampling storage means and a remote actuatable sampling means. The capsule signals a remote receiver as it progresses through the alimentary tract in a previously mapped route and upon reaching a specified site is remotely triggered to capture a fluid sample in the alimentary canal.
547 Citations
55 Claims
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1. An ingestible capsule for removal of a fluid sample from the alimentary canal of an animal comprising, an electric power source;
- a radio signal transmitting means in enabling circuitry with said power source, said transmitting means being suitable for transmitting a radio signal the location from which the transmission emanates being trackable through animal tissue;
a fluid sample storage compartment;
means for obtaining a fluid sample from said alimentary canal;
all encased in an essentially non-digestible outer shell that is configured to pass through said alimentary canal. - 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, 25, 26, 27)
- a radio signal transmitting means in enabling circuitry with said power source, said transmitting means being suitable for transmitting a radio signal the location from which the transmission emanates being trackable through animal tissue;
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28. An ingestible capsule for removal of a fluid sample from the alimentary canal of an animal comprising, a non-digestible outer shell;
- an electric power source;
a radio signal transmitting means; and
a fluid sample storage compartment comprising a piston means arranged for withdrawing a fluid sample from said alimentary canal in response to a signal from a signal means remote from the body of said animal.
- an electric power source;
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29. An ingestible capsule for sampling a fluid from the alimentary canal of an animal comprising, a non-digestible outer shell;
- an electric power source;
a first radio signal transmitting means;
a fluid sample storage compartment;
means for receiving a second radio signal; and
, a fluid sampling means responsive to the receipt of said second radio signal. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
- an electric power source;
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32. A process for the gathering of a fluid sample from a selected site in the alimentary canal of an animal comprising, providing an ingestible capsule containing a signal transmitting means and a remote actuatable fluid sampling means;
- ingesting said capsule into the alimentary canal;
transmitting a signal, trackable through animal tissue, from said transmitting means contained in said capsule, said signal being suitable for determining location of said capsule;
receiving said transmitted signal exterior of the body of said animal;
comparing said signal to a pre-established model;
transmitting an actuating signal to said remote actuatable fluid sampling means contained in said capsule; and
gathering a fluid sample in said capsule in response to said actuating signal. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
- ingesting said capsule into the alimentary canal;
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54. A process for the collection of data for the sampling of a fluid at a selected site in the alimentary canal of an animal comprising, providing an ingestible capsule containing a radio signal transmitting means suitable for determining location of said capsule;
- ingesting said capsule into the alimentary canal;
transmitting a radio signal from said transmitting means;
receiving said transmitted signal exterior of the body of said animal at multiple receiving antennae arranged about said canal;
digitizing said signal received by said multiple receiving antennae;
storing said digitized signal in computer recoverable, time sequence memory. - View Dependent Claims (55)
- ingesting said capsule into the alimentary canal;
Specification