Communication system with partial power source
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- a control device for altering conductance; and
a partial power source comprising;
a first material electrically coupled to the control device; and
a second material electrically coupled to the control device and electrically isolated from the first material,wherein the first and second materials are selected to provide a voltage potential difference as a result of the materials being in contact with a conducting liquid, andwherein the control device alters the conductance between the first and second materials such that the magnitude of the current flow is varied to encode information in a signal radiated by the conducting liquid and the encoded information is remotely detectable by a receiver.
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Abstract
The system of the present invention includes a conductive element, an electronic component, and a partial power source in the form of dissimilar materials. Upon contact with a conducting fluid, a voltage potential is created and the power source is completed, which activates the system. The electronic component controls the conductance between the dissimilar materials to produce a unique current signature. The system can be used in a variety of different applications, including as components of ingestible identifiers, such as may be found in ingestible event markers, e.g., pharma-informatics enabled pharmaceutical compositions.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a control device for altering conductance; and a partial power source comprising; a first material electrically coupled to the control device; and a second material electrically coupled to the control device and electrically isolated from the first material, wherein the first and second materials are selected to provide a voltage potential difference as a result of the materials being in contact with a conducting liquid, and wherein the control device alters the conductance between the first and second materials such that the magnitude of the current flow is varied to encode information in a signal radiated by the conducting liquid and the encoded information is remotely detectable by a receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An event marking apparatus for producing an identifiable current signature associated with ingestion of a pharmaceutical product, the apparatus comprising:
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a pharmaceutical product in an ingestible form; and a system secured to the product and activated upon contact with conductive fluid, the system comprising; a support structure; a control device secured to the support structure for controlling the conductance of the system; a first material physically associated with the support structure and electrically coupled to the control device; a second material electrically coupled to the control device and physically associated with the support structure at a location different from the location of the first material, such that the first and second materials are electrically isolated from each other; and a non-conductive membrane secured to the support structure and positioned relative to the first and second materials to facilitate extension of the electrical path between the first material and second material around said non-conductive membrane through the conductive fluid; wherein the first and second materials are selected to provide a voltage potential difference as a result of the materials being in contact with the conductive fluid thus providing a source of power; and wherein the control device comprises switching logic that is electrically coupled to the first material and the second material and wherein the switching logic controls the conductance between the first and second materials for producing an identifiable current signature radiated by the conductive fluid and the identifiable current signature is remotely detectable by a receiver. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method of producing an identifiable device that is operational upon contact with a conducting fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
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securing a control module on a support structure; depositing a first material onto the structure to produce an anode on the structure and electrically coupling the anode to the control module; depositing a second material onto the structure to produce a cathode on the structure at a location that is electrically isolated from the location of the anode and electrically coupling the cathode to the control module; and wherein the first and second materials are selected to provide a voltage potential difference as a result of the materials being in contact with the conducting fluid thus providing a source of power; and using the control module to vary the conductance between the anode and the cathode when the identifiable device comes into contact with the conducting fluid and produce a unique current signature radiated by the conducting fluid and the unique current signature is remotely detectable by a receiver. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A system for communicating through a conducting fluid, wherein the system uses variance in an ionic emission rate to encode information, the system comprising:
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a support structure; a first solid material physically associated with the support structure; a second solid material physically associated with the support structure, wherein the first material and the second material develop a voltage potential difference as a result of the materials being in contact with the conducting fluid to produce a source of power through ionic emission; and a control module electrically coupled to the first and second materials and physically associated with the support structure, wherein the control module varies conductance between the first material and the second material thereby controlling the rate of transfer of mass between the first material and the conducting fluid and wherein the control module communicates information through ionic emission rate so that the encoded information is radiated by the conducting fluid and is remotely receivable by a receiver. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification