IMPLANTABLE SENSING MODULES AND METHODS OF USING
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring impacts to which a living body is subjected, the method comprising:
- providing an implantable sensing module that comprises a rigid housing containing at least one energy storage device, at least one electromechanical sensing element that is responsive to impacts, means for generating outputs corresponding to impacts to which the electromechanical sensing element is subjected, and means for recording data corresponding to the outputs;
implanting the module in a living body so that the module is located internally within the living body and is connected to a rigid portion of the living body chosen from the group consisting of bones and teeth;
monitoring impacts to the living body by monitoring a level of at least one impact to which the electromechanical sensing element is subjected within the living body;
producing an output corresponding to the level of the at least one impact sensed by the electromechanical sensing element;
storing data in the recording means within the module corresponding to the output of the electromechanical sensing element; and
thenwirelessly retrieving the data stored in the recording means while the module remains implanted in the living body.
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Abstract
Implantable sensing modules and methods for monitoring various physical parameters, including physical parameters of a living body and environmental parameters to which the living body may be subjected, for example, impacts. A method for monitoring impacts to which a living body is subjected entails the use of an implantable sensing module that has a rigid housing containing at least one energy storage device and at least one electromechanical sensing element that is responsive to impacts. The module generates data corresponding to impacts to which the electromechanical sensing element is subjected, and records the data in memory. The module is preferably implanted in a living body so that the module is connected to a rigid portion of the living body, in particular, a bone or tooth.
83 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring impacts to which a living body is subjected, the method comprising:
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providing an implantable sensing module that comprises a rigid housing containing at least one energy storage device, at least one electromechanical sensing element that is responsive to impacts, means for generating outputs corresponding to impacts to which the electromechanical sensing element is subjected, and means for recording data corresponding to the outputs; implanting the module in a living body so that the module is located internally within the living body and is connected to a rigid portion of the living body chosen from the group consisting of bones and teeth; monitoring impacts to the living body by monitoring a level of at least one impact to which the electromechanical sensing element is subjected within the living body; producing an output corresponding to the level of the at least one impact sensed by the electromechanical sensing element; storing data in the recording means within the module corresponding to the output of the electromechanical sensing element; and
thenwirelessly retrieving the data stored in the recording means while the module remains implanted in the living body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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21. A method of monitoring at least one external input chosen from the group consisting of physical parameters of a living body and environmental parameters to which the living body is subjected, the method comprising:
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providing an electromechanical module that comprises at least one integrated energy storage device and a plurality of integrated electromechanical switches, the electromechanical switches defining open electrical paths and being operable to define closed electrical paths to produce outputs in response to the external input, and the electromechanical switches having different levels of sensitivity to the external input; implanting the module in a living body; subjecting the living body to the external input that causes at least two of the electromechanical switches to define at least two of the closed electrical paths in response to different input levels of the external input, the at least two closed electrical paths producing at least two outputs corresponding to the different input levels of the external input; and obtaining data from the module corresponding to the outputs of the electromechanical switches. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 33, 34)
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35. An implantable sensing module for monitoring impacts to which a living body is subjected, the sensing module comprising:
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a housing; at least one energy storage device within the housing; at least one set of electromechanical sensing elements within the housing, the electromechanical sensing elements being responsive to impacts, each of the electromechanical sensing elements defining an open electrical path when not subjected to an impact and operable to define a closed electrical path that produces an output in response to an impact only while the electromechanical sensing element is subject to the impact and if the impact exceeds a threshold of the electromechanical sensing element, and then again defining the open electrical path thereof so as not to produce an output when no longer subject to the impact that exceeded the threshold thereof; means within the housing for generating data corresponding to the outputs of the electromechanical sensing elements; and means within the housing for recording the data; wherein the electromechanical sensing elements, the generating means, and the recording means are powered only by the energy storage device when, respectively, producing the output, generating the data, and recording the data in response to an impact that exceeded the threshold of one or more of the electromechanical sensing elements. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification