Magnetic levitation of an intraluminal microelectronic capsule

• US 8,939,154 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2012
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UTI Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: UTI Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Mintchev, Martin P., Wu, Billy T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foreman, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US13/567,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20130030261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 128/899, 600/424, 600/587, 600/593, 604/95.01
• US Class Current: 128/899
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00036 Means for power saving, e.g. sleeping mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/037 Measuring oesophageal pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/065 Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• 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: H02N 15/00 Holding or levitation devices using magnetic attraction or repulsion, not otherwise provided for electric or magnetic devices for holding work on machine tools B23Q3/15 ; monorail vehicle propulsion or suspension B60L13/00; sliding or levitation devices for railway systems B61B13/08; material handling devices associated with conveyors incorporating devices with electrostatic or magnetic grippers B65G47/92; separating thin or filamentary articles from piles using magnetic force B65H3/16; delivering thin or filamentary articles from magnetic holders by air blast or suction B65H29/24; bearings using magnetic or electric supporting means F16C32/04; relieving bearing loads using magnetic means F16C39/06; magnets H01F7/00; dynamo-electric clutches or brakes H02K49/00 ; electric furnaces with simultaneous levitation and heating H05B6/32

Abstract

A method and apparatus for magnetically levitating and further steering of an intraluminal device, such as a swallowable microelectronic capsule, for monitoring bodily functions is provided. The method comprises diamagnetically-stabilized levitation, followed by dynamic modification of the external magnetic field producing the said levitation, so that the levitating intraluminal device can be steered in desired direction. The said intraluminal device contains appropriate sensors and reports in real time the forces and pressures exerted on it, as well as its position, so that the levitation and the steering can be dynamically adjusted using appropriate dynamic control of external magnetic devices such as solenoids.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the intraluminal position of a capsule in a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

controlling the position of the capsule by an external magnetic field that levitates the capsule with the aid of at least one diamagnetic material so that the capsule can be steered within lumens of internal organs of the patient or affixed at a stationary position within the lumens of the internal organs of the patient.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the capsule is diamagnetically levitated using diamagnetic materials carried by the capsule.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the capsule is diamagnetically levitated using diamagnetic properties of the lumens of the patient.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining and reporting in real time an estimate of forces exerted on the capsule to a controller for dynamic control of the capsule position.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring one or more of the function, secretion, motility, pH, pressure, impedance, texture, composition, or any other physiological characteristics of the internal organ in which the capsule is positioned using sensors in the device that sense and measure such secretion, motility, pH, pressure, impedance, texture, composition, or other physiological characteristics.

6. The method of claim 1 in which the capsule contains sensors for monitoring external mechanical forces and pressures exerted on the capsule, and a transmitter for reporting the forces and pressures in real time to a receiver outside the patient;

and further comprising the step of controlling the external magnetic field to position and reposition the capsule in response to receiving the reported forces and pressures.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the capsule contains sensors for monitoring position of the capsule, and a transmitter for reporting the position in real time to a receiver outside the patient;

and further comprising the step of controlling the external magnetic field to position and reposition the capsule in response to receiving the reported position.

8. The method of claim 1 in which the capsule contains sensors for monitoring position of the capsule, and a transmitter for reporting the position in real time to a receiver outside the patient;

and further comprising the step of controlling the patient position to position and reposition the capsule in response to receiving the reported position.

9. The method of claim 1, where the patient is human.

10. The method of claim 1 in which the capsule contains one or more sensors for monitoring position of the capsule, and a transmitter for reporting the position in real time to a receiver outside the patient;

and further comprising the step of controlling the location of the external magnetic field to position and reposition the capsule in response to receiving the reported position.

11. The method of claim 10 in which the one or more sensors include a Hall Effect sensor.