Medical device having capacitive coupling communication and energy harvesting

• US 9,764,083 B1
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Savoie, Richard, Searle, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hall, Deanna K
• Application Number:
  US14/581,700
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 607 16, 607 35
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3538 using electrical conduction through the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8212 with means or measures taken for minimising energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8237 Charging means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8243 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/825 using mechanical generation of electricity, e.g. hand cranked generators
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8256 being integrated in the case or housing of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/01 Remote controllers for specific apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/201 Glucose concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/63 Motion, e.g. physical activity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 : of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 : using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 : Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body

Abstract

Provided is a wearable, self-contained drug infusion or medical device capable of communicating with a host controller or other external devices via a personal area network (PAN). The medical device utilizes a PAN transceiver for communication with other devices in contact with a user'"'"'s body, such as a physiological sensor or host controller, by propagating a current across the user'"'"'s body via capacitive coupling. The wearable nature of the medical device and the low power requirements of the PAN communication system enable the medical device to utilize alternative energy harvesting techniques for powering the device. The medical device preferably utilizes thermal, kinetic and other energy harvesting techniques for capturing energy from the user and the environment during normal use of the medical device. A system power distribution unit is provided for managing the harvested energy and selectively supplying power to the medical device during system operation.

Claims

1. A medical device in contact with a user'"'"'s body for administering drug therapy to the user, the medical device comprising:

a housing in contact with a user'"'"'s body, said housing containing;

a microcontroller controlling a pump mechanism to deliver a drug at a contact site on the user'"'"'s body; and

a power supply system comprising an energy harvesting component to harvest energy from the user'"'"'s body, a harvested energy storage unit to store the harvested energy, and a power distribution unit selectively providing the stored energy to the microcontroller and the pump mechanism.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the power distribution unit provides a first power to the microcontroller when in an active mode, and supplies a second, lower power to the microcontroller in a standby mode of the medical device.

3. The medical device of claim 2, wherein the harvested energy storage unit provides at least a portion of the second power and the power supply system further comprises a battery to supply at least a portion of the first power.

4. The medical device of claim 2, wherein the power distribution unit provides a third power lower than the second power in an off mode of the medical device.

5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the housing further contains a transceiver to communicate with a host monitoring device and at least one sensor in contact with the user'"'"'s body via a personal area network that transmits data across the user'"'"'s body.

6. The medical device of claim 5, wherein the transceiver communicates with a plurality of sensors via the personal area network.

7. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the housing is affixed to the user'"'"'s skin.