Intelligent multifunctional medical device apparatus and components

• US 8,623,638 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2009
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Neal Solomon
• Original Assignee: Neal Solomon
• Inventors: Solomon, Neal
• Primary Examiner(s): Beisner, William H
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENKEL, DANIELLE B
• Application Number:
  US12/462,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20100068798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 604/890.1, 702/19, 702/20, 422/68.1, 706/46, 435/287.1, 435/287.2
• US Class Current: 435/287.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14503 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/028 Modular arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/143 Quality control, feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/023 Sending and receiving of information, e.g. using bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/024 Storing results with means integrated into the container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00247 Microvalves
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 25/00 ICT specially adapted for hybridisation; ICT specially adapted for gene or protein expression
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 25/30 Microarray design

Abstract

The multifunctional medical device contains system on chip (SoC) computation functionality to organize several functional modules consisting of analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic tasks in the microfluidic assembly. Micro-valves, micro-tubes, micro-wires and gates organize the chambers of the flexible modules which hold multiple chemical and biological agents for combination on demand.

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing microfluidic components in a medical device, comprising:

at least three modules connected by microfluidic channels, including a diagnostic module, an analytical module and a therapeutic module;

each module capable of receiving and/or analyzing fluids;

an integrated circuit configured to control the modules;

each module capable of processing or transmitting electrical signals;

wherein the modules conduct differentiated functions of analysis, diagnostics or therapeutics;

wherein the integrated circuit controls the functions of the diagnostic, analytical and therapeutic modules;

wherein the diagnostic, analytical and therapeutic modules are connected with electrical interconnects;

wherein the diagnostic module comprises a lab-on-a-chip (LOC) for testing of biological samples and transfers the test results to the analytical module;

wherein the analytical module includes a system on a chip (SoC) to conduct modeling functions and store and access data in a database management system;

wherein the therapeutic module comprises a set of compartments for managing chemicals and/or biologicals; and

wherein the therapeutic module receives modeling data from the analytical model and configures the compartments to combine chemicals and/or biologicals to solve a pathological problem.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the analytical modeling functions include DNA and/or RNA testing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the analytical modeling functions include protein testing.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the analytical modeling functions include whole cell testing.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the analytical module includes a system on a chip (SoC) and software to perform modeling.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

biological samples comprise inputs for the diagnostic module; and

the biological samples consist of cell, DNA, RNA and/or protein constituent parts.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the analytical module models unique patient pathology; and

the unique pathology consists of identifying a combination of mutations.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the therapeutic module applies combined fluids to patient tissue.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the integrated circuit that controls the functional modules is an ASIC, FPGA or SoC.

2. An apparatus for managing electrical components in a medical device, comprising:

at least two layers of medical component modules in a multi-layer device;

a diagnostic module that includes a lab-on-a-chip (LOC);

an analytical module that includes a system on a chip (SoC) to conduct modeling functions and store and access data in a database management system;

a therapeutic module that includes a set of compartments for organizing chemicals and biologicals;

a diagnostic module, an analytical module and a therapeutic module configured in layers;

an integrated circuit configured to control the modules;

electrical interconnects configured to connect adjacent layers;

wherein each layer uses electrical interconnects to connect components within each layer;

wherein the integrated circuit sends and receives electrical signals between the diagnostic module and/or therapeutic module;

wherein electrical signals are transmitted through the interconnects from one layer of the multilayer device to other layers; and

wherein at least one layer of the multilayer medical device performs computational tasks and sends electrical signals to at least one other layer.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the diagnostic module sends electrical signals to the analytical module and/or the therapeutic module.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the analytical module sends electrical signals to the diagnostic module and/or the therapeutic module.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the therapeutic module sends electrical signals to the diagnostic module and/or the analytical module.

3. An apparatus for managing microfluidic components in a medical device, comprising:

a diagnostic module, including a lab-on-a-chip (LOC) component, configured to process and test cell, DNA, RNA and/or protein samples;

a therapeutic module including compartments to process chemicals and/or biologicals, wherein the compartments are connected by microfluidic channels;

at least two layers of medical component modules configured in a multi-layer device;

each microfluidic layer capable of receiving and processing fluids;

wherein the at least two microfluidic layers are connected by microfluidic channels;

wherein the microfluidic layers are configured to receive and process chemical and/or biological fluids;

wherein an integrated circuit is configured to control the combination of fluids in at least one chamber of one compartment of the therapeutic module; and

wherein the fluids that are output from the therapeutic module apply a therapy related to a pathology processed in the diagnostic module

wherein the integrated circuit is configured to apply the combined fluids are applied to at least one patient tissue site.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the microfluidic components on layers of the therapeutics module include micro-valves, micro-tubes and micro-gates to control the flow of fluids.

15. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the microfluidic channels connect fluidic chambers of the device.

16. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

at least two chambers of the microfluidic module are configured in layers.

17. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

at least two chambers of the therapeutics module are configured to send and receive fluids by using the micro fluidic channels.