Sensors

• US 20090259112A1
• Filed: 04/09/2008
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A.
• Application Number:
  US12/082,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20090259112A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0017 transmitting optical signals transmission by light H04B10/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/68 Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to sensors and systems associated with the sensors.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

one or more sensor housings that include one or more selectively accessible sections;

one or more detectors operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections;

one or more barriers operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections;

one or more sensor control units; and

one or more sensor transmitters.

2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor housings that include one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more sensor housings that are configured for association with a genital region of an individual.

3. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor housings that include one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more sensor housings that are configured for association with a vascular region of an individual.

7. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor housings that include one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more sensor housings that are configured in association with one or more stents.

8. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more detectors operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more osmotic detectors.

10. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more detectors operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more cantilever detectors.

14. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more detectors operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more detectors configured to detect nitric oxide.

15. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more detectors operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more detectors configured to detect glucose

16. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more detectors operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more detectors configured to detect one or more hormones.

18. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more detectors operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more detectors configured to detect one or more pharmaceutical agents.

22. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more detectors operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more detectors configured to detect one or more cytokines.

24. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more detectors operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more detectors configured to detect one or more blood constituents.

25. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more detectors operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more detectors configured to detect one or more pathogen indicators.

26. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more barriers operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more barriers that include one or more shape memory materials.

27. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more barriers operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections comprise:

one or more barriers that include one or more sacrificial materials.

30. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor control units comprise:

one or more sensor control units that include program instructions.

32. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor control units comprise:

one or more sensor control units that are configured to control one or more barriers.

33. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor control units comprise:

one or more sensor control units that are configured to process information acquired from the one or more detectors.

36. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor control units comprise:

one or more sensor control units that are configured to unmask one or more selectively accessible sections in response to one or more data points.

37. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor transmitters comprise:

one or more sensor transmitters configured to transmit one or more acoustic signals.

39. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor transmitters comprise:

one or more sensor transmitters configured to transmit one or more optical signals.

42. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor transmitters comprise:

one or more sensor transmitters configured to transmit one or more radio frequency signals.

44. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor transmitters comprise:

one or more sensor transmitters configured to transmit one or more ultrasonic signals.

45. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor transmitters comprise:

one or more sensor transmitters configured to transmit one or more signals according to one or more schedules.

46. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor transmitters comprise:

one or more sensor transmitters configured to transmit one or more signals in response to detection of one or more analytes.

47. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor transmitters comprise:

one or more sensor transmitters configured to transmit one or more signals in response to one or more queries.

48. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor transmitters comprise:

one or more sensor transmitters configured to transmit one or more encrypted signals.

49. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more sensor receivers.

50. The sensor of claim 49, wherein the one or more sensor receivers comprise:

one or more sensor receivers configured to receive one or more acoustic signals.

55. The sensor of claim 49, wherein the one or more sensor receivers comprise:

one or more sensor receivers configured to receive one or more radio frequency signals.

57. The sensor of claim 49, wherein the one or more sensor receivers comprise:

one or more sensor receivers configured to receive one or more ultrasonic signals.

58. The sensor of claim 49, wherein the one or more sensor receivers comprise:

one or more sensor receivers configured to receive one or more signals according to one or more schedules.

59. The sensor of claim 49, wherein the one or more sensor receivers comprise:

one or more sensor receivers configured to receive one or more signals in response to detection of one or more analytes.

60. The sensor of claim 49, wherein the one or more sensor receivers comprise:

one or more sensor receivers configured to receive one or more signals in response to one or more queries.

4-6. -6. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

11-13. -13. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

19-21. -21. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

28-29. -29. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

34-35. -35. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

40-41. -41. (canceled)

43. (canceled)

51-54. -54. (canceled)

56. (canceled)

61. A system comprising:

circuitry for operating one or more sensor housings that include one or more selectively accessible sections;

circuitry for operating one or more detectors operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections;

circuitry for operating one or more barriers operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections;

circuitry for operating one or more sensor control units; and

circuitry for operating one or more sensor transmitters.

107. The system of claim 61, further comprising:

circuitry for operating one or more sensor receivers.

62-106. -106. (canceled)

108-118. -118. (canceled)

119. A sensor system comprising:

means for operating one or more sensor housings that include one or more selectively accessible sections;

means for operating one or more detectors operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections;

means for operating one or more barriers operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections;

means for operating one or more sensor control units; and

means for operating one or more sensor transmitters.

120. The system of claim 119, further comprising:

means for operating one or more sensor receivers.

121. A system comprising:

a signal-bearing medium bearing;

one or more instructions for operating one or more sensor housings that include one or more selectively accessible sections;

one or more instructions for operating one or more detectors operably associated with the one or more selectively accessible sections;

one or more instructions for operating one or more sensor control units; and

one or more instructions for operating one or more sensor transmitters.

122. The system of claim 121, further comprising:

one or more instructions for operating one or more sensor receivers.

123-125. -125. (canceled)