Medical device having capacitive coupling communication and energy harvesting
First Claim
1. A wearable medical device in contact with a user'"'"'s body for administering drug therapy to the user, the medical device comprising:
- a microcontroller electrically coupled to a pump mechanism, a transceiver and a power supply system, wherein;
the microcontroller commands the pump mechanism to administer a drug to the user;
the transceiver comprises a first electrode capacitively coupled to an outer surface of the user'"'"'s skin and a second electrode coupled to a reference potential, wherein the impedance between the second electrode and the reference potential is higher than the impedance between the first electrode and the outer surface of the user'"'"'s skin, and wherein the first electrode provides an oscillating potential to cause a displacement current in the user'"'"'s body, and communicates with a host device on or near the user'"'"'s body via a personal area network that transmits data across the user'"'"'s body by modulating the displacement current, wherein said host device monitors or controls the medical device; and
the power supply system selectively provides power to the microcontroller, pump mechanism and transceiver supplied from an energy harvesting component that harvests energy from the user'"'"'s body.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Provided is a wearable, self-contained drug infusion or medical device capable of communicating with a host controller or other external devices via a personal area network (PAN). The medical device utilizes a PAN transceiver for communication with other devices in contact with a user'"'"'s body, such as a physiological sensor or host controller, by propagating a current across the user'"'"'s body via capacitive coupling. The wearable nature of the medical device and the low power requirements of the PAN communication system enable the medical device to utilize alternative energy harvesting techniques for powering the device. The medical device preferably utilizes thermal, kinetic and other energy harvesting techniques for capturing energy from the user and the environment during normal use of the medical device. A system power distribution unit is provided for managing the harvested energy and selectively supplying power to the medical device during system operation.
217 Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A wearable medical device in contact with a user'"'"'s body for administering drug therapy to the user, the medical device comprising:
-
a microcontroller electrically coupled to a pump mechanism, a transceiver and a power supply system, wherein; the microcontroller commands the pump mechanism to administer a drug to the user; the transceiver comprises a first electrode capacitively coupled to an outer surface of the user'"'"'s skin and a second electrode coupled to a reference potential, wherein the impedance between the second electrode and the reference potential is higher than the impedance between the first electrode and the outer surface of the user'"'"'s skin, and wherein the first electrode provides an oscillating potential to cause a displacement current in the user'"'"'s body, and communicates with a host device on or near the user'"'"'s body via a personal area network that transmits data across the user'"'"'s body by modulating the displacement current, wherein said host device monitors or controls the medical device; and the power supply system selectively provides power to the microcontroller, pump mechanism and transceiver supplied from an energy harvesting component that harvests energy from the user'"'"'s body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification