Identifier circuits for generating unique identifiable indicators and techniques for producing same

• US 8,540,633 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2009
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proteus Digital Health, Inc. (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Proteus Digital Health, Inc. (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Hafezi, Hooman, Snyder, Eric, Costello, Benedict
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, III, Henry M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Archer, Marie
• Application Number:
  US12/527,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20100298668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 428544-687, 428/32.21, 428/32.22, 428/35.7, 428/35.8, 428/35.9, 428 361- 369, 428/36.91, 428/36.92, 428 401- 423, 428/63, 428/901, 428/913, 428926-931, 428934-941, 205/80, 205/67, 205/687, 205775-779, 205924-928, 977700-963, 361271-330, 361500-541, 361/437, 600300-301, 604/890.1, 604/891.1, 604/892.1
• US Class Current: 600/302
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 20/20 Making of laminated, multi-layered, stuffed or hollow foodstuffs, e.g. by wrapping in preformed edible dough sheets or in edible food containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/42 Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the gastrointestinal, the endocrine or the exocrine systems A61B1/00, A61B5/4857, A61B5/486, A61B5/4866, A61B5/4869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6861 Capsules, e.g. for swallowing or implanting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6871 Stomach
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6873 Intestine
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• 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: A61J 3/06 into the form of pills, lozenges or dragees
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0097 Micromachined devices; Microelectromechanical systems [MEMS]; Devices obtained by lithographic treatment of silicon; Devices comprising chips intradermal microneedle arrays A61K9/0021; MEMS in general B81B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/4825 Proteins, e.g. gelatin gelatin capsule shells with substantial amounts of other macromolecular substances A61K9/4816
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/4833 Encapsulating processes; Filling of capsules mechanical aspects A61J3/07
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/15 Medicinal preparations ; Physical properties thereof, e.g. dissolubility drug screening with animal cells G01N33/5008
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/00 Primary cells; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 : Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 : Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 : On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

The present invention provides for safe and reliable electronic circuitry that can be employed in ingestible compositions. The ingestible circuitry of the invention includes a solid support; a conductive element; and an electronic component. Each of the support, conductive element and electronic component are fabricated from an ingestible material. The ingestible circuitry finds use 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.

Claims

1. A method of producing an identifier, the method comprising:

laminating a non-conducting element between first and second dissimilar materials to create a laminate component, wherein the first and second dissimilar materials generate a voltage potential when in contact with a conducting fluid;

removing a portion of the first and second dissimilar materials from the perimeter of the laminate component to expose the non-conducting element and to create a skirt; and

securing a circuit within an aperture formed in the laminate component, wherein the circuit is electrically coupled to each of the first and second dissimilar materials, and wherein the circuit is operable by the voltage potential generated by the first and second dissimilar materials.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the first and second dissimilar materials to create a voltaic cell through oxidation and reduction reactions when the first and second dissimilar materials are in contact with the conducting fluid.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising configuring the circuit to generate a detectable signal that identifies unique information associated with the identifier.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the conducting fluid is a physiological fluid.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising securing the identifier to a pharmaceutical product to produce a tagged product such that activation of the circuit is an indication that the pharmaceutical product of the tagged product is in contact with physiological fluid.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising sealing the tagged product with a coating to isolate the tagged product from the physiological fluid for a predefined period of time until the coating is dissolved by the physiological fluid to allow the tagged product to reach a target site at which time the tagged product is exposed to the physiological fluid.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising laminating a current collector element between the non-conducting element and at least one of the first and second dissimilar materials.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the aperture through the laminate component to receive the circuit within the aperture.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising fixing the circuit within the aperture with a conductive adhesive.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing a portion of the laminate component encompassing the circuit to produce the identifier.