Remotely controlled substance delivery device
First Claim
1. A delivery device comprising:
- a delivery reservoir configured to contain a delivery fluid, the delivery reservoir having at least one outlet through which the delivery fluid may exit the delivery reservoir;
a delivery fluid contained within the delivery reservoir;
a primary material contained within the delivery reservoir and having a controllable effective concentration in the delivery fluid; and
at least one electromagnetically responsive control element located in the delivery reservoir or in a wall of the delivery reservoir and adapted for modifying the distribution of the primary material between a first active form carried in the delivery fluid and a second form within the delivery reservoir in response to an incident electromagnetic control signal, the effective concentration being the concentration of the first active form in the delivery fluid, whereby delivery fluid exiting the delivery reservoir carries the primary material in the first active form at the effective concentration.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of a system including a remotely controlled substance delivery device and associated controller are described. Methods of use and control of the device are also disclosed. According to some embodiments, a delivery device or related device may be placed in an environment in order to pump a material into the environment or into an additional fluid handling structure within the device. Exemplary environments include a body of an organism, a body of water, or an enclosed volume of a fluid. The concentration of a substance in the fluid to be delivered may be modified by a remote control signal. In selected embodiments, a magnetic field, an electric field, or electromagnetic control signal may be used.
-
Citations
36 Claims
-
1. A delivery device comprising:
-
a delivery reservoir configured to contain a delivery fluid, the delivery reservoir having at least one outlet through which the delivery fluid may exit the delivery reservoir; a delivery fluid contained within the delivery reservoir; a primary material contained within the delivery reservoir and having a controllable effective concentration in the delivery fluid; and at least one electromagnetically responsive control element located in the delivery reservoir or in a wall of the delivery reservoir and adapted for modifying the distribution of the primary material between a first active form carried in the delivery fluid and a second form within the delivery reservoir in response to an incident electromagnetic control signal, the effective concentration being the concentration of the first active form in the delivery fluid, whereby delivery fluid exiting the delivery reservoir carries the primary material in the first active form at the effective concentration. - 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. A delivery device comprising:
-
a fluid-containing structure having at least one outlet through which a fluid may exit the fluid-containing structure to a downstream location; a delivery fluid contained within the fluid-containing structure; a primary material contained within the fluid-containing structure and having a controllable effective concentration in the delivery fluid; at least one electromagnetically responsive control element located in the fluid-containing structure or in a wall of the fluid-containing structure and adapted for modifying the distribution of the primary material between a first active form carried in the delivery fluid and a second form within the fluid containing structure in response to an incident electromagnetic control signal, the effective concentration being the concentration of the first active form in the delivery fluid, whereby delivery fluid exiting the delivery reservoir carries the primary material in the first active form at the effective concentration; and a pump configured for pumping delivery fluid carrying the first active form of the primary material at the effective concentration from the fluid-containing structure to the downstream location. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A method of delivering a fluid, comprising:
-
receiving an electromagnetic control signal from a remote controller; and responsive to the electromagnetic control signal, activating an electromagnetically responsive control element in a delivery reservoir or in the wall of a delivery reservoir to modify an effective concentration of a primary material in a delivery fluid within the delivery reservoir by modifying an affinity of at least one interaction site in the delivery reservoir for the primary material. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
-
-
36. A delivery device comprising:
-
a delivery reservoir configured to contain a delivery fluid, the delivery reservoir having at least one outlet through which the delivery fluid may exit the delivery reservoir; a delivery fluid contained within the delivery reservoir; a primary material contained within the delivery reservoir and having a controllable effective concentration in the delivery fluid; and at least one electromagnetically responsive control element adapted for modifying the distribution of the primary material between a first active form carried in the delivery fluid and a second form within the delivery reservoir in response to an incident electromagnetic control signal, the effective concentration being the concentration of the first active form in the delivery fluid, whereby delivery fluid exiting the delivery reservoir carries the primary material in the first active form at the effective concentration, and wherein the at least one electromagnetically responsive control element is selected from the group consisting of an electromagnetic field responsive molecule in the delivery fluid, a shape-changing structure that changes in at least one dimension in response to an electromagnetic control signal, an electromagnetic field responsive heating element, and an electromagnetic field responsive cooling element.
-
Specification