Acoustically controlled reaction device

• US 8,349,261 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hood, Leroy E., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Jung, Edward K. Y., Langer, Robert, Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US12/378,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20090162250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 604/20, 366/108, 366/348, 366/116, 366/142, 422/105, 422/110, 422/111, 422/112
• US Class Current: 422/112
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14513 with secondary fluid driving or regulating the infusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0266 Shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0288 Electro-rheological or magneto-rheological materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3507 with implanted devices, e.g. external control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/36 related to heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/145 using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00

Abstract

Embodiments of a system including a remotely controlled reaction device and associated controller are described. Methods of use and control of the device are also disclosed. According to various embodiments, a reaction device is placed in an environment in order to perform a chemical reaction in an environment. Exemplary environments include a body of an organism, a body of water, or an enclosed volume of a fluid. In selected embodiments, an acoustic control signal may be used.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a reaction device, comprising:

an article of manufacture including a signal bearing medium, the signal bearing medium bearing;

instructions for generating an acoustic control signal including frequency components absorbable by an acoustically responsive control element of the reaction device in an environment; and

instructions for remotely transmitting the acoustic control signal to the reaction device in the environment with signal characteristics sufficient to produce at least one of mechanical, thermal or chemical activation of the acoustically responsive control element in the reaction device to control a chemical reaction occurring at a reaction region of the reaction device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions for generating an acoustic control signal include instructions for calculating the acoustic control signal based on a model.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions for generating an acoustic control signal include instructions for generating the acoustic control signal based on a pattern stored in a data storage location.

4. The system of claim 1, including:

instructions for receiving a feedback signal from the environment; and

instructions for generating the acoustic control signal based at least in part upon the received feedback signal, the acoustic control signal having signal characteristics expected to produce a desired feedback signal.

5. The system of claim 1, including:

instructions for receiving a feedback signal from the reaction device; and

instructions for generating the acoustic control signal based at least in part on the received feedback signal, the acoustic control signal having frequency composition and amplitude expected to produce a desired feedback signal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal characteristics include signal strength.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal characteristics include signal duration.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal characteristics include signal frequency content.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal bearing medium includes a recordable medium.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the recordable medium includes a floppy disk.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the recordable medium includes a hard disk drive.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the recordable medium includes a CD ROM.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the recordable medium includes a computer memory.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal bearing medium includes a transmission type medium.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the transmission type medium includes a digital communication link.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the transmission type medium includes an analog communication link.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the transmission type medium includes a TDM communication link.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the transmission type medium includes an IP based communication link.

20. The system of claim 2, wherein the instructions for calculating the acoustic control signal based on a model include instructions for calculating the acoustic control signal as a function of stored model parameters and time.

21. The system of claim 4, wherein the feedback signal represents at least one of osmolality, pH, temperature, pressure, concentration of a chemical, or activity of a chemical within at least a portion of the environment.

22. The system of claim 5, wherein the feedback signal represents at least one of concentration of a reactant at the reaction region or temperature of the reaction device.

6. The system of claim , including:

instructions for receiving user input of one or more control parameters; and

instructions for generating the acoustic control signal based at least in part upon the one or more control parameters.