Acoustically controlled reaction device

• US 8,367,003 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2009
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hood, Leroy E., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Jung, Edward K. Y., Langer, Robert, Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US12/378,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20090162249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 604/20, 366/127, 366/108, 366/348, 366/116, 366/142, 422/105, 422/110, 422/111
• US Class Current: 422/105
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14513 with secondary fluid driving or regulating the infusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0266 Shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0288 Electro-rheological or magneto-rheological materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3507 with implanted devices, e.g. external control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/36 related to heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/145 using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00

Abstract

Embodiments of a system including a remotely controlled reaction device and associated controller are described. Methods of use and control of the device are also disclosed. According to various embodiments, a reaction device is placed in an environment in order to perform a chemical reaction in an environment. Exemplary environments include a body of an organism, a body of water, or an enclosed volume of a fluid. In selected embodiments, an acoustic control signal may be used.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a reaction device, comprising:

generating an electrical driving signal with an electrical driving signal generator within a remote controller positioned at a location remote from the reaction device, wherein the reaction device is in an environment; and

driving an acoustic signal generator within the remote controller with the electrical driving signal to produce an acoustic control signal, the acoustic control signal sufficient to produce activation of a remotely activatable control element in the reaction device to produce a desired rate of a chemical reaction in the reaction device.

2. The method of claim 1, including generating the electrical driving signal from a model-based calculation.

3. The method of claim 1, including generating the electrical driving signal based on a stored pattern.

4. The method of claim 1, including:

receiving a feedback signal from the environment; and

based upon the feedback signal, generating an acoustic control signal having signal characteristics expected to produce a desired feedback signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving a feedback signal from the environment includes receiving a measure of osmolality or pH within at least a portion of the environment.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving a feedback signal from the environment includes receiving a measure of temperature or pressure within at least a portion of the environment.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving a feedback signal from the environment includes receiving a measure of the concentration or activity of a chemical within at least a portion of the environment.

8. The method of claim 1, including:

receiving a feedback signal from the reaction device; and

based upon the feedback signal, generating an acoustic control signal having signal characteristics expected to produce a desired feedback signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving a feedback signal from the reaction device includes receiving a signal representing a concentration of a reactant in the reaction device.

10. The method of claim 1, including:

receiving user input of one or more control parameters; and

based upon the one or more control parameters, generating an acoustic control signal having signal characteristics expected to produce a desired rate of the chemical reaction in the reaction device.

11. The method of claim 1, including activating the remotely activatable control element to produce heating or cooling of the remotely activatable control element sufficient to modify the chemical reaction occurring in the reaction device.

12. The method of claim 1, including activating the remotely activatable control element to produce a change in configuration of the remotely activatable control element sufficient to modify the chemical reaction occurring in the reaction device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the change in configuration includes expansion of the remotely activatable control element.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the change in configuration includes a change in shape, volume, surface area or orientation of the remotely activatable control element.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating an electrical driving signal is performed according to instructions provided in the form of software, hardware or firmware.