Telemetry implants
An implantable device having a sensor configured to detect a physiological condition, e.g., temperature, dynamics, sounds, amount of an analyte, pH, temperature, strain, pressure, bioelectric activity, an optical sensor, etc., a microcontroller, configured to process data from the sensor and store processed data in a memory, a rechargeable electrical power source, and a telemetry system. The telemetry system optionally harvests power to recharge the rechargeable electrical power source, or to directly power the system. The implantable device is encapsulated in a biocompatible shell.
1 . An implantable device, comprising:
an implantable, biocompatible shell having dimensions of 1.5-3 mm×1.5-3 mm×5-25 mm;
a plurality of sensors configured to produce sensor data corresponding to a biological state of a host, the plurality of sensors comprising a thermal sensor and a physiological sensor selected from the group consisting of: an optical sensor; a chemical sensor; a mechanical sensor, an inertial sensor, an acoustic sensor, and an electric signal detector;
a multiprotocol wireless radio frequency telemetry system configured to (a) transmit the sensor data, and to (b) transmit an alarm signal, using electrical power,
wherein the multiprotocol telemetry system has:
a first protocol of operation compatible with at least one of wireless communication technologies which communicates error correction and detection encoded data through a first antenna, and
a second protocol of operation which communicates error correction and detection encoded data using radio frequency backscatter within a frequency range of 30 kHz to 30 MHz through a second antenna comprising a coil;
the multiprotocol telemetry system being configured to select between multiple concurrently available communication partners to establish a communication link;
an energy harvesting system configured to harvest energy from an environment within the host using the second antenna, and to provide at least sufficient electrical power for the transmission of the sensor data by the multiprotocol telemetry system using the second protocol of operation and insufficient electrical power for the transmission of the sensor data by the multiprotocol telemetry system using the first protocol of operation;
a memory;
a microcontroller, configured to operate absent availability of the at least sufficient electrical power to:
receive the sensor data,
process the sensor data for storage as information in the memory,
determine an alarm state dependent on the sensor data and an alarm threshold, and
control communications through the multiprotocol telemetry system to:
select at least one of the first protocol of operation and the second protocol of operation of the multiprotocol telemetry system and control the multiprotocol telemetry system to select a reliable one of the multiple concurrently available communication partners to establish the communication link, wherein the first protocol is selected in preference to the second protocol,
transmit the sensor data through the communication link, and
transmit the alarm signal through the communication link dependent on the determined alarm state using the selected at least one of the first protocol of operation and the second protocol of operation of the multiprotocol telemetry system; and
an electrochemical energy source configured to provide at least a portion of the electrical power for operating the microcontroller, the memory, and the transmission of the alarm signal by the multiprotocol telemetry system,
wherein each of the plurality of sensors, the multiprotocol wireless radio frequency telemetry system comprising the first antenna and the second antenna, the energy harvesting system, the memory, the microcontroller, and the electrochemical energy source together are disposed within the implantable, biocompatible shell having dimensions of 1.5-3 mm×1.5-3 mm×5-25 mm.
2 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprise an optical sensor comprising a light source and an optical detector.
3 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprise at least one of a potentiometric chemical sensor and an amperometric chemical sensor.
4 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the first protocol of operation is compatible with communication through a frequency hopping spread spectrum protocol and the second protocol of operation is compatible with a near-field communication (NFC) protocol.
5 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors are selected from the group consisting of a glucose level detector, an ion-specific sensor, a lactic acid detector, a pH sensor, a carbon dioxide detector, an electrochemical reaction sensor, a colorimetric sensor, and a fluorometric sensor.
6 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors are selected from the group consisting of a bioelectric activity sensor, an electromyographic detector, an electrocardiographic detector, and an electroencephalographic sensor, and has electrodes exposed on an exterior of the implantable, biocompatible shell.
7 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein:
the multiprotocol telemetry system has the second protocol of operation compatible with a near field communication (NFC) system,
the electrochemical energy source comprises a rechargeable battery;
the energy harvesting system captures sufficient radio frequency energy from the second antenna during operation according to the second protocol to at least operate the microcontroller and charge the electrochemical energy source, and
the microcontroller is further configured to write data received through the near field communication system (NFC) using electrical power from the energy harvesting system into the memory.
8 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the multiprotocol telemetry system has the second protocol of operation that operates at a radio frequency communications frequency of 13.56 MHz, the second antenna comprises the coil and a magnetic core, and the biocompatible shell has dimensions of 2-3 mm×2-3 mm×15-25 mm.
9 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprise an optical glucose sensor, comprising a light source and an optical detector.
10 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the second antenna comprising the coil of the multiprotocol telemetry system is configured to interact with an external inductive power transfer coil to power the energy harvesting system and the microcontroller is further configured to determine the alarm state dependent on the sensor data and the alarm threshold value at least every ten minutes.
11 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is further configured to:
process the sensor data to represent a glycemic state of the host, information stored in the memory representing at least the glycemic state;
determine a hypoglycemic state of the host in real time dependent on the sensor data, by comparing the glycemic state of the host with the alarm threshold;
selectively actively transmit at least an indicium of hypoglycemia as the alarm signal according to the first protocol through a local area network or personal area network transceiver of the multiprotocol telemetry system dependent on the determined alarm state;
receive harvested energy from the energy harvesting system to power the processing of the sensor data and the determining of the hypoglycemic state during operation according to the second protocol; and
receive electrical power from the electrochemical energy source, wherein the electrochemical energy source comprises a secondary energy source, to power the multiprotocol telemetry system for reliable active transmission of the indicium of hypoglycemia during operation according to the first protocol.
12 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical energy source comprises a rechargeable electrical device configured to receive excess power from the energy harvesting system for recharging the rechargeable electrical device.
13 . The implantable device of claim 12 , wherein the rechargeable electrical device is a lithium battery.
14 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the second protocol of the multiprotocol telemetry system communicates through a near-field communication (NFC) protocol.
15 . The implantable device of claim 14 , wherein the first protocol of operation is compatible with Class 2 IEEE-802.11 b/g/n/ac/ad/ax.
16 . An implantable device, comprising:
an implantable, biocompatible shell having dimensions of 2-3 mm×2-3 mm×15-25 mm;
an analyte sensor configured to produce analyte sensor data corresponding to an analyte level associated with a physiological condition of a host;
a wireless radio frequency multiprotocol telemetry system configured to transmit the analyte sensor data, and to transmit a status signal, using electrical power,
wherein the multiprotocol telemetry system has:
a first error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation which communicates in a 2.4 GHz band using a first antenna, and
a second error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation which communicates within a frequency range of 30 kHz to 30 MHz using radio frequency backscatter through a second antenna comprising a coil;
wherein the multiprotocol telemetry system is configured to select between multiple concurrently available communication partners to establish a communication link;
an energy harvesting system configured to harvest radio frequency energy from an environment within the host to power transmission of the analyte sensor data using the second error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation, the energy harvesting system being configured to supply insufficient electrical power to operate the multiprotocol telemetry system in the first error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation and sufficient electrical power to operate the multiprotocol telemetry system in the second error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation;
a memory which uses electrical power;
a microcontroller which uses electrical power, configured to operate absent availability of the harvested radio frequency energy to:
receive and process the analyte sensor data for storage as information in the memory;
communicate the stored information in the memory; and
determine a state of the host dependent on the analyte sensor data and a criterion at least once every ten minutes; and control communications through the multiprotocol telemetry system to select one of the first error detection and correction encoded protocol and the second error detection and correction encoded protocol of the multiprotocol telemetry system for transmission of the determined state, and to select one of the concurrently available communication partners to establish the communication link, wherein the first error detection and correction encoded protocol is selected in preference to the second error detection and correction encoded protocol to conserve electrical power; and
an electrochemical energy source configured to provide at least a portion of the electrical power for operating the microcontroller, the memory, and the transmission of the determined state by the multiprotocol telemetry system using the first protocol,
wherein each of the analyte sensor, the wireless radio frequency multiprotocol telemetry system comprising the first antenna and the second antenna, the energy harvesting system, the memory, the microcontroller, and the electrochemical energy source together are disposed within the implantable, biocompatible shell having dimensions of 2-3 mm×2-3 mm×15-25 mm×5-25 mm.
17 . The implantable device of claim 16 , wherein: the multiprotocol telemetry system has:
the first error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation compatible with a spread spectrum protocol;
the second antenna comprises the coil and a magnetic core; and
the second error detection and correction encoded protocol compatible with a near-field communication (NFC) protocol at a frequency of 13.56 MHz; and
the electrochemical energy source is a rechargeable battery which is recharged with energy received through the second antenna.
18 . The implantable device of claim 16 , wherein the analyte sensor comprises a light emitting diode and optical detector, and the determined state is hypoglycemia.
19 . An implantable device, comprising:
an implantable, biocompatible shell having dimensions of 1.5-3 mm×1.5-3 mm×5-25 mm;
an optical, chemical, or bioelectric signal sensor within the implantable, biocompatible shell configured to produce sensor data corresponding to a physiological state of a host;
a multiprotocol telemetry system adapted to operate in an environment having a plurality of compatible transceivers with which the multiprotocol telemetry system is configured to communicate, within the implantable, biocompatible shell configured to transmit the sensor data, and to transmit a signal, by wireless radio frequency communications using electrical power, having:
a first encrypted error detection and correction encoded spread spectrum protocol of operation which communicates through a first antenna, and
a second encrypted error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation using radio frequency backscatter within a frequency range of 30 kHz to 30 MHz through a second antenna comprising a coil;
an energy harvesting system within the implantable, biocompatible shell linked to the second antenna, configured to harvest radio frequency energy from an environment within the host using the second antenna, and to provide at least sufficient electrical power for the transmission of the sensor data by the multiprotocol telemetry system using the second encrypted error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation;
a memory within the implantable, biocompatible shell which uses electrical power;
a microcontroller within the implantable, biocompatible shell which uses electrical power, configured to:
encrypt and perform error detection and correction encode communications for transmission;
decrypt and perform error detection and correction decode received communications;
receive the sensor data,
process the sensor data for storage as information in the memory,
determine a threshold state dependent on the sensor data and a threshold value,
select at least one of the first encrypted error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation and the second encrypted error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation of the multiprotocol telemetry system, wherein the first encrypted error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation is selected in preference to the second encrypted error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation to conserve electrical power,
transmit the sensor data through the multiprotocol telemetry system as encrypted error detection and correction encoded data, and
control communications through the multiprotocol telemetry system to transmit the signal as encrypted error detection and correction encoded data dependent on the determined threshold state the using the selected at least one of the first encrypted error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation and the second encrypted error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation of the multiprotocol telemetry system; and
a rechargeable battery within the implantable, biocompatible shell configured to receive energy for recharging from the energy harvesting system, and to provide at least a portion of the electrical power for operating the microcontroller, the memory, and the multiprotocol telemetry system,
wherein each of the optical, chemical, or bioelectric signal sensor, the multiprotocol telemetry system comprising the first antenna and the second antenna, the energy harvesting system, the memory, the microcontroller, and the rechargeable battery together are disposed within the implantable, biocompatible shell having dimensions of 1.5-3 mm×1.5-3 mm×5-25 mm.
20 . The implantable device according to claim 19 , wherein the implantable, biocompatible shell has dimensions of 2-3 mm×2-3 mm×15-25 mm;
the physiological state of the host comprises a glucose level;
the first encrypted error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation operates in a 2.4 GHz band using a TCP/IP protocol;
the second encrypted error detection and correction encoded protocol operates at 13.56 MHz using a near-field communication (NFC) protocol; and
the microcontroller is configured to determine the threshold state dependent on the sensor data and the threshold value at least every ten minutes, and select the at least one of the first encrypted, error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation and the second encrypted, error detection and correction encoded protocol of operation of the multiprotocol telemetry system in dependence on whether the second antenna is within range of an active near-field communication (NFC) interrogator.