Medication compliance system and associated methods
First Claim
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1. A method for making an electronic pill adapted for monitoring for medication compliance in a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
- mounting a receive/transmit antenna and electronic circuit onto a flexible substrate;
fitting the substrate to the exterior surface of an ingestible medication delivery device by wrapping the substrate and the receive/transmit antenna continuously around a curved portion of the exterior surface of the ingestible medication delivery device;
said receive/transmit antenna is formed of one of carbon black, silver ink, iron, a conducting polymer and an edible ink;
the antenna detectable from a gastrointestinal tract of the patient by a detecting device positionable external the patient gastrointestinal tract;
filling the delivery device with a medication;
temporarily storing within the medication delivery device power received from the detecting device; and
thenafter a time delay following the storing step, transmitting from the medication delivery device to the detecting device a signal using the temporarily stored power, the signal indicating the presence of the medication delivery device within the patient.
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Abstract
A system for monitoring medication compliance in a patient includes an electronic pill that includes a drug-transporting device and an antenna positioned on a surface of the drug-transporting device. A detector is positionable external a gastrointestinal tract of a patient for detecting a presence of the antenna in the patient gastrointestinal tract.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for making an electronic pill adapted for monitoring for medication compliance in a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
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mounting a receive/transmit antenna and electronic circuit onto a flexible substrate; fitting the substrate to the exterior surface of an ingestible medication delivery device by wrapping the substrate and the receive/transmit antenna continuously around a curved portion of the exterior surface of the ingestible medication delivery device;
said receive/transmit antenna is formed of one of carbon black, silver ink, iron, a conducting polymer and an edible ink;
the antenna detectable from a gastrointestinal tract of the patient by a detecting device positionable external the patient gastrointestinal tract;filling the delivery device with a medication; temporarily storing within the medication delivery device power received from the detecting device; and
thenafter a time delay following the storing step, transmitting from the medication delivery device to the detecting device a signal using the temporarily stored power, the signal indicating the presence of the medication delivery device within the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for electronically monitoring an ingestible capsule, the system comprising:
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an ingestible capsule having an exterior surface; a flexible substrate fitted to the exterior surface of the ingestible capsule; a receive/transmit antenna and an electronic circuit, both the receive/transmit antenna and the electronic circuit mounted in electrically conductive contact with each other on the substrate, wherein the substrate and the receive/transmit antenna are wrapped continuously around a curved portion of the exterior surface of the ingestible capsule, wherein said receive/transmit antenna is formed of one of carbon black, silver ink, iron, a conducting polymer and an edible ink; and detector means for transmitting wireless signals to the electronic circuit through the receive/transmit antenna and for receiving wireless signals from the electronic circuit through the receive/transmit antenna. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for electronically monitoring an ingestible capsule, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an ingestible capsule having an exterior surface; mounting a receive/transmit antenna and an electronic circuit onto a flexible substrate with the receive/transmit antenna and the electronic circuit in electronic contact with each other; fitting the substrate to the exterior surface of the ingestible capsule;
by wrapping the substrate and the receive/transmit antenna continuously around a curved portion of the exterior surface of the ingestible medication delivery device;
said receive/transmit antenna is formed of one of carbon black, silver ink, iron, a conducting polymer and an edible ink;transmitting wireless signals to the electronic circuit through the receive/transmit antenna; and receiving wireless signals from the electronic circuit through the receive/transmit antenna for purposes of detecting the presence of the ingestible capsule;
wherein said ingestible capsule is filled with a medication.
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Specification