Communication system with partial power source
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- a chassis;
a control device coupled to the chassis;
a first material located on the chassis and electrically coupled to the control device;
a second material located on the chassis and electrically coupled to the control device, wherein the second material is physically separated from the first material, and wherein the first material and the second material are configured to generate a first voltage potential difference between the first material and the second material based on a difference in electrochemical potential between the first material and the second material, wherein the first material and the second material are configured to activate and to power the control device based on the difference in electrochemical potential, wherein the first material and the second material are in contact with an electrically conductive fluid; and
a third material located on the chassis and electrically coupled to the control device, wherein the third material is physically separated from the first material and the second material, and wherein the first material and the third material are configured to generate a second voltage potential difference between the first material and the third material;
wherein the control device is configured to alter the conductance between the first material and the second material to control a magnitude of current flow between the first material and the second material to encode information in the current flow based on the first voltage potential difference and the second voltage potential difference, wherein the current flow containing the encoded information is transmitted through the electrically conductive fluid to a receiver device.
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Abstract
The system of the present invention includes a conductive element, an electronic component, and a partial power source in the form of dissimilar materials. Upon contact with a conducting fluid, a voltage potential is created and the power source is completed, which activates the system. The electronic component controls the conductance between the dissimilar materials to produce a unique current signature. The system can be used 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.
928 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a chassis; a control device coupled to the chassis; a first material located on the chassis and electrically coupled to the control device; a second material located on the chassis and electrically coupled to the control device, wherein the second material is physically separated from the first material, and wherein the first material and the second material are configured to generate a first voltage potential difference between the first material and the second material based on a difference in electrochemical potential between the first material and the second material, wherein the first material and the second material are configured to activate and to power the control device based on the difference in electrochemical potential, wherein the first material and the second material are in contact with an electrically conductive fluid; and a third material located on the chassis and electrically coupled to the control device, wherein the third material is physically separated from the first material and the second material, and wherein the first material and the third material are configured to generate a second voltage potential difference between the first material and the third material; wherein the control device is configured to alter the conductance between the first material and the second material to control a magnitude of current flow between the first material and the second material to encode information in the current flow based on the first voltage potential difference and the second voltage potential difference, wherein the current flow containing the encoded information is transmitted through the electrically conductive fluid to a receiver device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system comprising:
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a control device electrically coupled to a first material and a second material; a sensor electrically coupled to the control device and a third material, wherein the third material is electrically isolated from the first material and the second material; wherein the first material and the second material are configured to power the control device and the sensor based on a difference in electrochemical potential between the first material and the second material, wherein the first material and the second material are in contact with an electrically conductive fluid; and wherein the sensor is configured to determine information associated with an environment of the sensor and communicate the information to the control device to encode the information in a current flow established between the first material and the second material through the electrically conductive fluid, wherein the current flow containing the encoded information is transmitted to a receiver device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system comprising:
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a control device electrically coupled to a first material, a second material, and a third material; a first sensor electrically coupled to the control device, wherein the first sensor is part of the control device; a second sensor electrically coupled to the control device, wherein the second sensor is separate from the control device and electrically coupled to the third material; wherein the first material and the second material are configured to activate the control device and the first and the second sensors based on a difference in electrochemical potential between the first material and the second material, wherein the first material and the second material are in contact with an electrically conductive fluid; and wherein the first and second sensors are configured to detect information associated with an environment of the respective sensor and communicate the information to the control device to encode the information in a unique current flow established between the first material and the second material through the electrically conductive fluid, wherein the unique current flow containing the encoded information is transmitted through the electrically conductive fluid to a receiver device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification