Miniature ingestible device
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- an ingestible device, including;
a partial power source having a first portion and a second portion and configured to generate power upon contact of the first portion and the second portion with a fluid;
a control unit electrically coupled between the first portion and the second portion of the partial power source, wherein the control unit is configured to be activated by receiving the power from the partial power source and to encode information in a current flow between the first portion and the second portion through the fluid;
a tablet material covering the first portion and the second portion of the partial power source and the control unit such that the tablet material isolates the first portion and the second portion of the partial power source and the control unit from a surrounding environment, wherein the tablet material is formulated to disintegrate upon contact with the fluid to expose the first portion and the second portion of the partial power source to the fluid;
a non-soluble film material covering at least a portion of the tablet material, wherein the non-soluble film material is formulated and configured to inhibit interaction between the ingestible device and a pharmaceutical product during disintegration of the pharmaceutical product, and wherein the non-soluble film material covers the tablet material such that when the tablet material comes in contact with the fluid, the non-soluble film material controls the direction of expansion of the tablet material as the tablet material expands; and
a capsule enveloping the ingestible device, wherein the tablet material further isolates the first portion and the second portion of the partial power source and the control unit from the capsule.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention discloses multiple approaches to preventing the capsule walls and other material from interfering with the performance of an electronic device once the device is activated by surrounding fluid. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a miniature ingestible device (MID) may be created using excipients and films. The MID, in accordance with various aspects of the present invention, will have a coating or laminating surrounding an electronic device and separating and isolating the device from the pharmaceutical product or drug within the capsule once the capsule is ingested as well as from the capsule itself as the capsule walls begin to collapse during the disintegration process.
890 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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an ingestible device, including; a partial power source having a first portion and a second portion and configured to generate power upon contact of the first portion and the second portion with a fluid; a control unit electrically coupled between the first portion and the second portion of the partial power source, wherein the control unit is configured to be activated by receiving the power from the partial power source and to encode information in a current flow between the first portion and the second portion through the fluid; a tablet material covering the first portion and the second portion of the partial power source and the control unit such that the tablet material isolates the first portion and the second portion of the partial power source and the control unit from a surrounding environment, wherein the tablet material is formulated to disintegrate upon contact with the fluid to expose the first portion and the second portion of the partial power source to the fluid; a non-soluble film material covering at least a portion of the tablet material, wherein the non-soluble film material is formulated and configured to inhibit interaction between the ingestible device and a pharmaceutical product during disintegration of the pharmaceutical product, and wherein the non-soluble film material covers the tablet material such that when the tablet material comes in contact with the fluid, the non-soluble film material controls the direction of expansion of the tablet material as the tablet material expands; and a capsule enveloping the ingestible device, wherein the tablet material further isolates the first portion and the second portion of the partial power source and the control unit from the capsule. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus, comprising:
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an ingestible unit comprising a first portion and a second portion configured to power and activate the ingestible unit upon contact with a fluid and to also encode information through the fluid, the ingestible unit configured to be disposed in a capsule suitable for ingestion; a tablet material covering one or more surfaces of the ingestible unit such that the tablet material separates the one or more surfaces of ingestible unit from a surrounding environment in the capsule; and a non-soluble film material covering at least a portion of the tablet material, wherein the non-soluble film material is formulated and configured to inhibit interaction between the ingestible unit and the capsule during disintegration of the capsule, and wherein the non-soluble film material covers the tablet material such that when the tablet material comes in contact with the fluid, the non-soluble film material controls the direction of expansion of the tablet material as the tablet material expands. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
an ingestible tablet configured for association with a pharmaceutical agent, wherein the ingestible tablet comprises; an ingestible device comprising a first portion and a second portion configured to power and activate the ingestible device upon contact with a fluid and to also encode information through the fluid; a tablet material in contact with at least part of the ingestible device; and a non-soluble film material covering at least a portion of the tablet material, wherein the non-soluble film material is formulated and configured to inhibit interaction between the ingestible device and the pharmaceutical agent during disintegration of the pharmaceutical agent, and wherein the non-soluble film material covers the tablet material such that when the tablet material comes in contact with the fluid, the non-soluble film material controls the direction of expansion of the tablet material as the tablet material expands. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
Specification