Apparatus and system for monitoring objects contained inside a living body

• US 6,656,117 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2001
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LMB Technologie GmbH
• Original Assignee: LMB Technologie GmbH
• Inventors: Lob, Gunter C. W., Jentsch, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McCrosky, David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/020,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20020091310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300-302, 128/897-899, 128/903, 128/904, 700/108-110, 702/182-186, 340/3.43, 340/3.44, 607/27-29
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/413 Monitoring transplanted tissue or organ, e.g. for possible rejection reactions after a transplant
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/48 Operating or control means, e.g. from outside the body, control of sphincters
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

There is disclosed an apparatus for monitoring objects contained inside a living body, wherein the apparatus includes a transmitter/receiver device which is introduceable into the living body and in which data relating to the object may be stored, wherein the data relating to the object may be written into the transmitter/receiver device and read from it contactless with the aid of an external write-read device located externally of the living body, and includes at least one sensor device for monitoring the at least one temporally variable state parameter of the object and for transmitting data corresponding to a currently prevailing state to the transmitter/receiver device in accordance with a detected value of the temporally variable state parameter, wherein the data corresponding to the currently prevailing state is written into the transmitter/receiver device in response to transmission from the sensor device. In addition, there is disclosed a system for monitoring objects contained inside a living body.

Claims

1. Apparatus for monitoring implants contained inside a living body, comprising:

at least one transmitter/receiver device which is introduceable into the living body and in which data relating to the implant may be stored, wherein the data relating to the implant may be written into said at least one transmitter/receiver device and read from it contactlessly with the aid of an external write-read device located externally of the living body; and

at least one sensor device for monitoring at least one temporally variable state parameter of the implant and for transmitting data corresponding to a currently prevailing state to said at least one transmitter/receiver device in accordance with a detected value of the least one temporally variable state parameter, wherein

the data corresponding to the currently prevailing stare is written into said at least one transmitter/receiver device in response to transmission from said at least one sensor device.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data corresponding to the currently prevailing state, which is stored in said at least one transmitter/receiver device, is readable with the aid of said external write-read device.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one transmitter/receiver device is a transponder.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor device detects a value of a physical function, a value of a physiological function, or a combination of these as the temporally variable state parameter.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising fixing means whereby it may be fixed inside the living body.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data corresponding to the currently prevailing state is written directly into said at least one transmitter/receiver device in response to transmission from said at least one sensor device.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data corresponding to the currently prevailing state is written into said at least one transmitter/receiver device by means of said external device in response to transmission from said at least one sensor device.

8. System including an apparatus for monitoring implants contained inside a living body, and an external write-read device, wherein said apparatus for monitoring implants contained inside a living body comprises:

at least one transmitter/receiver device which is introduceable into the living body and in which data relating to the implant may be stored, wherein the data relating to the implant may be written into said at least one transmitter/receiver device and read from it contactlessly with the aid of said external write-read device located externally of the living body; and

at least one sensor device for monitoring at least one temporally variable state parameter of the implant and for transmitting data corresponding to a currently prevailing state to said at least one transmitter/receiver device in accordance with a detected value of the at least one temporally variable state parameter, wherein

the data corresponding to the currently prevailing state is written into said at least one transmitter/receiver device in response to transmission from said at least one sensor device.

9. System according to claim 8, wherein the data corresponding to the currently prevailing state, which is stored in said at least one transmitter/receiver device, is readable with the aid of said external write-read device.

10. System according to claim 8, wherein said at least one transmitter/receiver device is a transponder.

11. System according to any claim 8, wherein said at least one sensor device detects a value of a physical function, a value of a physiological function, or a combination of these as the temporally variable state parameter.

12. System according to claim 8, wherein said apparatus for monitoring implants contained inside a living body further comprises fixing means whereby it may be fixed inside the living body.

13. System according to claim 8, wherein the data corresponding to the currently prevailing state is written directly into said at least one transmitter/receiver device in response to transmission from said at least one sensor device.

14. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the data corresponding to the currently prevailing state is written into said at least one transmitter/receiver device by means of said external device in response to transmission from said at least one sensor device.