Transdermal communication system and method
First Claim
1. A transdermal communication system;
- comprising;
an internal communication device configured to be implanted inside the body of a patient;
an external communication device configured to be located outside the body of the patient;
an external transmitter, coupled to the external device, and configured to transmit a carrier signal into the body of the patient during communication from the internal communication device to the external communication device;
an internal modulator, coupled to the internal communication device, and configured to modulate the carrier signal with information by selectively reflecting the carrier signal or not reflecting the carrier signal, the internal modulator configured to modulate the carrier signal with information of a first state during a first time interval during which the carrier signal is reflected and to modulate the carrier signal with information of a second state during a second time interval during which the carrier signal is not reflected; and
an external demodulator, coupled to the external communication device, and configured to demodulate the carrier signal by detecting when the carrier signal is reflected and when the carrier signal is not reflected.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A transdermal communication system is disclosed. The system includes an internal communication device implanted inside the body of a patient and an external communication device. The external communication device includes an external transmitter which transmits a carrier signal into the body of the patient during communication from the internal communication device to the external communication device. The internal communication device includes an internal modulator which modulates the carrier signal with information by selectively reflecting the carrier signal or not reflecting the carrier signal. The external communication device demodulates the carrier signal by detecting when the carrier signal is reflected and when the carrier signal is not reflected through the skin of the patient. When the reflected carrier signal is detected, it is interpreted as data of a first state, and when the reflected carrier signal is not detected, it is interpreted as data of a second state. Accordingly, the internal communication device consumes relatively little power because the carrier signal used to carry the information is derived from the external communication device. Further, transfer of data is also very efficient because the period needed to modulate information of either the first state or the second state onto the carrier signal is the same.
272 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A transdermal communication system;
- comprising;
an internal communication device configured to be implanted inside the body of a patient; an external communication device configured to be located outside the body of the patient; an external transmitter, coupled to the external device, and configured to transmit a carrier signal into the body of the patient during communication from the internal communication device to the external communication device; an internal modulator, coupled to the internal communication device, and configured to modulate the carrier signal with information by selectively reflecting the carrier signal or not reflecting the carrier signal, the internal modulator configured to modulate the carrier signal with information of a first state during a first time interval during which the carrier signal is reflected and to modulate the carrier signal with information of a second state during a second time interval during which the carrier signal is not reflected; and an external demodulator, coupled to the external communication device, and configured to demodulate the carrier signal by detecting when the carrier signal is reflected and when the carrier signal is not reflected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
- comprising;
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29. A method of communicating between the skin of a patient, comprising the steps of:
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implanting an internal communication device inside the body of a patient; transmitting a carrier signal into the body of the patient during communication from the internal communication device to an external communication device; modulating the carrier signal inside the body of the patient with information by selectively reflecting the carrier signal or not reflecting the carrier signal the modulating step further comprising the steps of modulating the carrier signal with information of a first state during a first time interval during which the carrier signal is reflected and modulating the carrier signal with information of a second state during a second time interval during which the carrier signal is not reflected; and demodulating the information from the carrier signal by detecting when the carrier signal is reflected and when the carrier signal is not reflected outside the body of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification