Trackable pills with electronic ID tags

• US 7,253,716 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tagent Corp.
• Original Assignee: Tagent Corp.
• Inventors: Lovoi, Paul A., Baron, Bernard, Judelson, Teri E., Jennetti, Anthony G.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US10/993,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20060061472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/10.1, 604/362, 604/59, 604/60
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/007 Marking tablets or the like apparatus for printing on tablets or the like B41F17/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0024 Solid, semi-solid or solidifying implants, which are implanted or injected in body tissue compositions for intravenous administration, normal injectable solutions or dispersions for, e.g. subcutaneous administration A61K9/0019; brain implants A61K9/0085; (coated) prostheses, catheters or stents A61L
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/2072 characterised by shape, structure or size; Tablets with holes, special break lines or identification marks; Partially coated tablets; Disintegrating flat shaped forms A61K9/0004, A61K9/0056, A61K9/0065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/7023 Transdermal patches and similar drug-containing composite devices, e.g. cataplasms galenical aspects of iontophoretic devices A61K9/0009; microneedle arrays A61K9/0021; buccal patches A61K9/006
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer

Abstract

A medical pill intended for human or animal consumption includes an RF ID tag in or on the pill. The tag will respond to a nearby reader, the tag itself being without a battery or other constant power supply, capturing power from the reader'"'"'s transmitted signal and storing a portion of that power in a power supply. An antenna for the RF ID tag may be integral with the tag or it may be transferred to the pill using conductive materials in the pill'"'"'s coating, filler or binding agents, embedded within the pill, or printed onto the pill. If separate from the tag the antenna is electromagnetically coupled to the tag which has a small onboard antenna. The RF ID tag of each pill has data that are transmitted when the tag is interrogated by a signal from a reader. Incorporation of an ingestable ID tag is possible because of the tag'"'"'s very small size compatible with ingestion and because the tag can contain an antenna within the pill that allows the tag to be read at a substantial distance. Several different methods for deactivating the RF ID tag after ingestion or use of the pill are disclosed. Medicaments other than oral pills can also have the ID tags.

Claims

1. A trackable, authenticatable medical pill, comprising:

a pill of substantially conventional configuration, size, construction and chemistry, essentially not larger than about 3 cm in length and about 1 cm in diameter,

a radio frequency ID tag on or in the pill, including an antenna and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna, and

the integrated circuit including a power supply for storing a portion of energy received by the antenna from a separate reader device that sends out an RF power signal for interrogating a plurality of similar ID tags, a processor circuit receiving power from the power supply and for originating a response to the power signal from a reader device, and a transmitter connected to the processor circuit for transmitting a response signal from the pill to identify or authenticate the pill, the transmitted signal being sent via the antenna,

wherein the medical pill comprises a capsule containing the medication, and wherein the antenna is integrated with a wall of the capsule, and

wherein the antenna includes a conductive trace on the wall of the capsule, spaced away from and electromagnetically coupled to the RF ID tag,

whereby medical pills with the ID tags can be verified for authenticity and/or tracked until medication of the pill is ingested or absorbed by a patient.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna includes a small, integral onboard antenna on the tag which is coupled electromagnetically to the conductive trace.

3. A trackable, authenticatable medical pill, comprising:

a pill of substantially conventional configuration, size, construction and chemistry, essentially not larger than about 3 cm in length and about 1 cm in diameter,

a radio frequency ID tag on or in the pill, including an antenna and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna, and

the integrated circuit including a power supply for storing a portion of energy received by the antenna from a separate reader device that sends out an RF power signal for interrogating a plurality of similar ID tags, a processor circuit receiving power from the power supply and for originating a response to the power signal from a reader device, and a transmitter connected to the processor circuit for transmitting a response signal from the pill to identify or authenticate the pill, the transmitted signal being sent via the antenna, and

including a means for rendering the tag inactive and non-readable after use by a patient,

whereby medical pills with the ID tags can be verified for authenticity and/or tracked until medication of the pill is ingested or absorbed by a patient.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said means for rendering the tag inactive comprises a means for destruction of the antenna after ingestion.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the means for destruction of the antenna comprises the antenna including soluble material in the structure of the pill, whereby the antenna is destroyed by dissolving after ingestion.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said means for rendering the tag inactive comprises a means for degradation of the tag by gastric PH to which the tag is exposed inside the patient after ingestion.

7. A trackable, authenticatable medical pill, comprising:

a pill of substantially conventional configuration, size, construction and chemistry, essentially not larger than about 3 cm in length and about 1 cm in diameter,

a radio frequency ID tag on or in the pill, including an antenna and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna, and

the integrated circuit including a power supply for storing a portion of energy received by the antenna from a separate reader device that sends out an RF power signal for interrogating a plurality of similar ID tags, a processor circuit receiving power from the power supply and for originating a response to the power signal from a reader device, and a transmitter connected to the processor circuit for transmitting a response signal from the pill to identify or authenticate the pill, the transmitted signal being sent via the antenna, and

wherein the antenna comprises a small onboard integral antenna on the tag as well as a conductive trace on or near the surface of the pill and much longer than the onboard antenna of the ID tag, and wherein the radio frequency ID tag is located at a spaced location from the conductive trace, the onboard antenna on the tag being in electromagnetically coupled relationship with the conductive trace such that the conductive trace enhances the tag'"'"'s antenna producing an increase in radiation efficiency for tag transmission as well as an increase in power received from the power signal of a reader device,

whereby medical pills with the ID tags can be verified for authenticity and/or tracked until medication of the pill is ingested or absorbed by a patient.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the conductive trace comprises a metalized trace.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the conductive trace is generally at one side of the pill and the tag is generally at an opposite side of the pill.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the conductive trace comprises a metalized trace deposited on an exterior surface of the pill.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the pill is about 0.5 to 0.8 inch in length, and wherein the RF ID tag is about 0.04 inch square and no more than about 0.02 inch thick.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the tag and the conductive trace are located adjacent to one another, at one surface of the pill.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the conductive trace is on the surface of the pill and the RF ID tag is placed directly on top of the trace, the tag having a thin layer of dielectric material over its surface preventing direct electrical connection between the trace and the tag.

14. A trackable, authenticatable medical pill, comprising:

a pill of substantially conventional configuration, size, construction and chemistry, essentially not larger than about 3 cm in length and about 1 cm in diameter,

a radio frequency ID tag on or in the pill, including an antenna and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna, and

the integrated circuit including a power supply for storing a portion of energy received by the antenna from a separate reader device that sends out an RF power signal for interrogating a plurality of similar ID tags, a processor circuit receiving power from the power supply and for originating a response to the power signal from a reader device, and a transmitter connected to the processor circuit for transmitting a response signal from the pill to identify or authenticate the pill, the transmitted signal being sent via the antenna, and

wherein the radio frequency ID tag is positioned in the pill such as to form an extended aperture radiating system, the pill itself forming a part of the antenna for the tag and the size of the tag antenna being increased by the pill, the pill and tag in combination forming a radiating structure,

whereby medical pills with the ID tags can be verified for authenticity and/or tracked until medication of the pill is ingested or absorbed by a patient.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the tag is positioned near one end of an elongated pill such that radiation from the pill and tag is essentially uni-directional and essentially in a polyrod mode of operation.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the tag is positioned at or near the middle of an elongated pill such that the tag and pill emit radiation essentially bi-directionally.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the pill is smaller than about one-quarter of the wavelength of RF radiation emitted from the tag, and wherein radiation from the tag and pill combination is essentially omni-directional within a plane.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the pill is approximately spherical.