Employing optical signals for power and/or communication

• US 9,735,892 B1
• Filed: 09/10/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Pletcher, Nathan, Otis, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Huy K
• Application Number:
  US14/850,704
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 351158, 35115902, 35115903
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0017 transmitting optical signals transmission by light H04B10/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6821 Eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/72 Signal processing specially adapted for physiological signals or for diagnostic purposes character recognition, recognising digital ink, document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00; recognition or understanding of postal images G06V30/424
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10158 methods and means used by the interrogation device for reliably powering the wireless record carriers using an electromagnetic interrogation field
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/807 Optical power feeding, i.e. transmitting power using an optical signal

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods employing contact lens sensors are provided. In some aspects, a contact lens includes a substrate that forms at least a portion of the body of the contact lens; an optical communication device disposed on or within the substrate; and a photodetector disposed on or within the substrate, wherein the photodetector harvests light emitted from a device and generates power from the harvested light. In some aspects, an apparatus comprises a tag having a circuit including: an optical communication device; and a photodetector that harvests light received and generates power from the harvested light. The tag can be disposed on or within a contact lens in various aspects.

Claims

1. A sensing device, comprising:

one or more sensors configured to sense one or more biological features;

an optical communication device, wherein the optical communication device is configured to modulate light to communicate data to a reader device; and

a photodetector, wherein the photodetector is configured to harvest light emitted from the reader device and to generate power from the harvested light, and wherein the photodetector is configured to detect a modulated optical signal from the reader device to receive data from the reader device.

2. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the optical communication device comprises at least one of a reflector or a light-emitting diode.

3. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include a glucose sensor configured to sense a glucose level in a bodily fluid.

4. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of a bodily fluid.

5. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the light is infrared light.

6. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the optical communication device is configured to communicate information about one or more biological features sensed by the one or more sensors to the reader device.

7. The sensing device of claim 6, wherein the information comprises a glucose level.

8. The sensing device of claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency (RF) receiver, wherein the RF receiver is configured to harvest RF energy and to generate power from the harvested RF energy.

9. The sensing device of claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency (RF) device that communicates by backscatter.

10. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the reader device comprises a light source and an optical-signal receiving component.

11. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors, optical communication device, and photodetector are disposed on or within a substrate of a contact lens.

12. A system, comprising:

a reader device having a transmitter configured to emit light; and

a sensing device, comprising;

one or more sensors configured to sense one or more biological features;

a communication component configured to output information indicative of a sensed feature to the reader device; and

one or more light sensors, wherein the one or light sensors are configured to (i) harvest light emitted from the reader device, (ii) power at least the communication component using the harvested light, and (iii) detect a modulated optical signal from the reader device to receive data from the reader device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensing device further comprises a processor configured to process the information indicative of the sensed feature.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the reader device further comprises a receiver configured to receive the information indicative of the sensed feature output from the communication component.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensed feature is a glucose level.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the communication component comprises at least one of a reflector or a light-emitting diode.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more sensors include a glucose sensor configured to sense a glucose level in a bodily fluid.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more sensors include a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of a bodily fluid.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the reader device further comprises an optical-signal receiving component.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more sensors, communication component, and one or more light sensors are disposed on or within a substrate of a contact lens.