IMPLANTABLE BIO-DATA MONITORING METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 3,672,352 A
• Filed: 04/09/1969
• Issued: 06/27/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George D. Summers
• Original Assignee: George D. Summers
• Inventors: Summers, George D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US04/814,760
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2,2.5D,2.5E,2.5F,2.5N,2.5Q,2.5R,2.5S,2.5T,2.6E,2.6F 250/22R,215 340/378,379,380 116/70
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry

Abstract

A system for monitoring a condition of a body function or organ or device implanted within a body includes a sensor or transducer responsive to that condition or a change in it connected to a signal means capable of producing an audible, visual or heat signal of variable intensity indication to control the energization of the signal means from a source of energy. The sensor and signal means and the source of energy may be implanted within the body with the signal means sufficiently near the surface of the skin so that its energized state may be detected from outside the body.

Claims

1. A method of indicating a condition inside a body comprising the steps of:

implanting sensing means sensitive to such a condition;

implanting light emitting means inside the body at a distance whereby said light emitting means, when energized, will be detectable through the skin of the body;

interconnecting said sensing means and said light emitting means;

providing a source of energy for said light emitting means so that said light emitting means will be energized in response to the change in the condition in the body sensed by said sensing means;

sensing the condition within the body with said sensing means;

emitting light from said light emitting means through the skin of the body when said light emitting means is energized in response to a change in the condition in the body sensed by said sensing means; and

detecting from outside the body the light emitted from said light emitting means.

2. The method of claim 1 including the step of implanting switch means in the body and interconnecting said switch means between said sensing means and said light emitting means and the further step of actuating said switch means to permit energization of said light emitting means.

3. The method of claim 1 including the step of implanting said source of energy for said light emitting means in the body.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of providing a source of energy comprises implanting an energy receiver in the body and the steps of bringing an energy transmitter external to the body in proximity to said energy receiver and activating said energy transmitter to cause energy to be transmitted to said energy receiver.

5. The method of claim 1 including the step of implanting switch means in the body and interconnecting said switch means between said sensing means and said light emitting means and the further steps of providing external actuating means and actuating said switch means by said actuating means when it is desired to sample the condition within the body.

6. The method of claim 1 including the step of implanting at least one additional light emitting means in the body and interconnecting said additional light emitting means to said sensing means to provide at least one additional indication of changes in the condition within the body.

7. A bio-data transmission system having a portion thereof implantable within a body comprising means adapted to be implanted within the body for emitting light signals in response to different sensed conditions within the body, sensing means adapted to be implanted within the body and connected in circuit with said light emitting signal means to control the level and interval of excitation of said light emitting signal means, a source of energy having at least one portion thereof adapted to be implanted within the body and operatively connected to said signal means and said sensor, and protective coating means coating said sensing means, said signal means and the portion of said source of energy that is adapted to be implanted within the body to protect said signal means, said sensing means and said portion of said energy source from harmful action of the body.

8. The bio-data transmission system of claim 7 wherein said light emitting signal means comprises means for providing an indication of a discrete change in a condition within the body.

9. The bio-data transmission system of claim 7 including a light signal receiver locatable outside the body responsive to the light emitted outside the body from said light emitting signal means.

10. The bio-data transmission system of claim 7 wherein said light emitting signal means comprises means for providing an indication of change throughout a range of a condition in the body.

11. The bio-data transmission system of claim 10 wherein said light emitting signal means comprises a plurality of signal devices connected in parallel with the output of said sensor.

12. The bio-data transmission system of claim 11 wherein said light emitting signal means comprises light emitting elements capable of emitting light of different colors.

13. The bio-data transmission system of claim 7 wherein said source of energy comprises an energy receiver adapted to be implanted within the body and an energy transmitter capable of being located exterior to the body to transmit energy to said energy receiver.

14. The bio-data transmission system of claim 13 wherein said energy receiver comprises a receiving coil and said energy transmitter comprises a radio frequency signal generator and a transmitting coil operatively connected to said radio frequency signal generator.

15. The bio-data transmission system of claim 13 wherein said energy transmitter comprises a light source and said energy receiver comprises at least one photovoltaic cell adapted to be implanted within the body.

16. The bio-data transmission system of claim 7 wherein said source of energy comprises a battery adapted to be implanted within the body.

17. The bio-data transmission system of claim 16 including a switch adapted to be implanted within the body connected in electrical circuit with said light emitting signal means, said sensing means and said battery.

18. The bio-data transmission system of claim 7 including a calibrated standard adapted to be implanted within the body and a switch adapted to be implanted within the body and to alternatively connecting either said calibrated standard or said sensing means to said light emitting means.