Method and apparatus for locating passive integrated transponder tags

• US 9,867,550 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2015
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Health Beacons, Inc. (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Health Beacons, Inc. (Hologic Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brander, Christopher, Petcavich, Robert, Reicher, Murray
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, II, Charles A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dorna, Carrie R
• Application Number:
  US14/642,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20150264891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/397 electromagnetic other than visible, e.g. microwave
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2007/10524 Hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10386 the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader

Abstract

An apparatus for locating an embedded passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag is provided. An embodiment of the locating apparatus includes a resonator capable of electromagnetically coupling to the PIT tag, and a feedback circuit connected to the resonator and configured to monitor a load conductance of the resonator. A distance between the resonator and the PIT tag is indicated by a change in the monitored load conductance when the resonator and the PIT tag are electromagnetically coupled. Another embodiment includes a resonator capable of stimulating a response signal from a PIT tag, and a processing circuit capable of calculating the distance between the resonator and the PIT tag based on the amplitude of the response signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a handheld device configured to determine a location for insertion of a probe in a body, wherein the location is determined in response to movement of the handheld device outside the body to identify one or more tags within the body; and

a probe configured to move partially into an incision at the determined location of the body, the probe housing;

a coil located at a distal terminal end of the probe, the probe composed of a durable material with the distal terminal end configured for temporary insertion into the incision and movable towards the one or more tags embedded in tissue of the body while a proximal end of the probe remains outside of the tissue of the body, wherein the coil inserted within the tissue of the body via the incision is configured to transmit a radio frequency signal resonating at a low frequency towards the one or more tags within the body, each tag configured to energize from the radio frequency signal and transmit a unique identifier encoded;

wherein the apparatus determines position of the distal terminal end of the probe with reference to one or more tags within the body and provides an audible or visual indication of the determined position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a depth calculation circuit configured to determine a distance between a particular tag within the body and the distal terminal end of the probe, the determination based at least on a signal received from the particular tag in response to receiving the low frequency signal transmitted from the coil.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position of the probe comprises a distance to one or more tags within the body.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position of the probe comprises a direction to one or more tags within the body.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the low frequency signal transmitted from the coil is a continuous signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a switching circuit configured to adjust the resonant frequency of the coil.