Inverted sensor module
First Claim
1. An inverted sensor module for sensing one or more characteristics of fluid in one or more vessels in a living body, the inverted sensor module comprising;
- a sensor carrier having one or more openings, wherein said sensor carrier is sized for insertion within said one or more vessels, and wherein an inner surface of said sensor carrier is coated or lined with a substance for reducing turbulence of the fluid flowing through a lumen of said sensor carrier;
one or more sensors mounted to said sensor carrier, such that a sensing side of said one or more sensors is exposed to the inside of said sensor carrier through said one or more openings;
a surface feature formed on each end of said inverted sensor module, such that the ends of a cut vessel may be attached to both ends of said inverted sensor module; and
communication media operatively connected to said one or more sensors, said communication media operable for communicating sensor information to a monitoring device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inverted sensor module for sensing physical and chemical fluid characteristics in a vessel in a living body. The inverted sensor module includes an inverted sensor bonded to a hollow carrier so that sensing occurs in the lumen of the inverted sensor module. An inverted sensor module comprising one or more inverted sensors is implantable and allows fluid to flow through, thereby allowing for measurements of acute and chronic conditions. The inverted sensor module may be used in series with other inverted sensor modules to assess trends such as pressure gradients along a bloodstream.
80 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An inverted sensor module for sensing one or more characteristics of fluid in one or more vessels in a living body, the inverted sensor module comprising;
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a sensor carrier having one or more openings, wherein said sensor carrier is sized for insertion within said one or more vessels, and wherein an inner surface of said sensor carrier is coated or lined with a substance for reducing turbulence of the fluid flowing through a lumen of said sensor carrier; one or more sensors mounted to said sensor carrier, such that a sensing side of said one or more sensors is exposed to the inside of said sensor carrier through said one or more openings; a surface feature formed on each end of said inverted sensor module, such that the ends of a cut vessel may be attached to both ends of said inverted sensor module; and communication media operatively connected to said one or more sensors, said communication media operable for communicating sensor information to a monitoring device. - 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)
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24. A method for determining fluid characteristics in a living body using an inverted sensor module, comprising the steps of:
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opening a fluid vessel in the living body, wherein said vessel is scored or cut; inserting an inverted sensor module, comprising one or more sensors, into said vessel; and closing said vessel such that all fluid flow through said vessel passes through said inverted sensor module, wherein said closing comprises connecting cut surfaces of the vessel to surface features formed at opposing ends of said inverted sensor module, and wherein said inverted sensor module is operable to sense fluid characteristics and send information about said fluid characteristics to a monitoring device outside the living body. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A method for manufacturing an inverted sensor module configured for insertion within a living body, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
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machining one or more openings into a sensor carrier; bonding one or more sensors into said one or more openings machined into said sensor carrier such that a sensing side of said one or more sensors is exposed toward a concave side of said sensor carrier; and creating a surface feature of an end of said inverted sensor module such that a vessel located within the living body may be connected to said inverted sensor module. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification