IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,910,573

Granted Patent B2

US 10,910,573 · App. 15/259,887 · Granted Feb 2, 2021

Cell-based electromechanical biocomputing

Inventor: Pinar Zorlutuna (South Bend, IN)

Assignee: The University of Notre Dame du Lac

H01L51/0575 C12N5/0656 C12N5/0657 C12N5/0658 G06N3/002 G06N3/063 H01L51/0093 C12N2501/727 C12N2501/999 C12N2502/1323 C12N2502/1329 C12N2506/45 C12N2533/10 C12N2533/52 C12N2535/10

View Patent ↗

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…

Monitor This Case

Get email alerts when status or documents change.

Order Certified Copies

Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.

Order via The Patent Place →

Pre-filled with this patent's details

Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 10,910,573
App. No.: 15/259,887
Granted: Feb 2, 2021
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

A diode and logic gate comprising cells is disclosed. A method of making the diode and logic gate comprising cells is disclosed.

Claims (67)

1. A diode comprising:

a group of excitable cells;

a group of non-excitable cells; and

a first connector and a second connector, wherein:

the first connector is electrically connected to the group of excitable cells at a first coupling,

the second connector is electrically connected to the group of non-excitable cells at a second coupling,

the group of excitable cells and the group of non-excitable cells are electrically connected at a third coupling, and

a first number of cells of the group of excitable cells connected to the first connector at the first coupling is greater than a second number of cells of the group of non-excitable cells connected to the second connector at the second coupling.

2. The diode of claim 1 , wherein the group of excitable cells comprises at least one cell capable of creating an action potential in response to a signal selected from the group consisting of an electrical signal and a mechanical signal.

3. The diode of claim 1 , wherein the group of excitable cells comprises at least one cell selected from the group consisting of neurons, muscle cells, and endocrine cells.

4. The diode of claim 1 , wherein the group of excitable cells comprises at least one cardiomyocyte.

5. The diode of claim 1 , wherein the group of non-excitable cells comprises at least one cell which is not capable of producing an action potential.

6. The diode of claim 1 , wherein the group of non-excitable cells comprises at least one gap junction.

7. The diode of claim 1 , wherein the group of non-excitable cells comprises at least one heart fibroblast.

8. The diode of claim 1 , wherein:

a third number of cells of the group of excitable cells connected to the group of non-excitable cells at the third coupling is fewer than the first number of cells connected to the first connector at the first coupling and

a fourth number of cells of the group of non-excitable cells connected to the group of excitable cells at the third coupling is greater than the second number of cells connected to the second connector at the second coupling.

9. The diode of claim 1 , wherein the group of excitable cells and the group of non-excitable cells are configured such that:

application of a first electrical signal to the first connector causes current to flow from the first connector to the second connector via the group of excitable cells and the group of non-excitable cells and

application of a second electrical signal to the second connector absent application of the first electrical signal to the first connector does not cause current to flow at the first connector.

10. The diode of claim 1 , wherein at the third coupling only a single cell of the group of non-excitable cells is mechanically connected to the group of excitable cells.

11. The diode of claim 1 , wherein the group of excitable cells is not directly mechanically or electrically connected to the second connector.

12. A logic gate comprising:

a first group and a second group of excitable cells;

a group of non-excitable cells; and

a first connector and a second connector,

wherein:

the first group of excitable cells is electrically connected to the group of non-excitable cells;

the second group of excitable cells is electrically connected to the group of non-excitable cells;

the first connector is electrically connected to the first group of excitable cells;

the second connector is electrically connected to the second group of excitable cells; and

the first group of excitable cells, the second group of excitable cells, and the group of non-excitable cells together form a U shape in which:

a first arm of the U shape comprises the first group of excitable cells,

a second arm of the U shape comprises the second group of excitable cells, and

a base of the U shape comprises the group of non-excitable cells.

13. The logic gate of claim 12 , further comprising a third group of excitable cells electrically connected to the group of non-excitable cells.

14. The logic gate of claim 13 , further comprising a third connector electrically connected to the third group of excitable cells.

15. The logic gate of claim 14 , wherein the first group of excitable cells, the second group of excitable cells, the third group of excitable cells, and the group of non-excitable cells are configured such that the logic gate functions as an OR gate, wherein:

application of a first electrical signal to the first connector and application of a second electrical signal to the second connector at the same time causes current to flow from the first connector and the second connector to the third connector via the first group of excitable cells, the second group of excitable cells, the group of non-excitable cells, and the third group of excitable cells;

application of the first electrical signal to the first connector absent application of the second electrical signal to the second connector causes current to flow from the first connector to the third connector via the first group of excitable cells, the group of non-excitable cells, and the third group of excitable cells;

application of the second electrical signal to the second connector absent application of the first electrical signal to the first connector causes current to flow from the second connector to the third connector via the second group of excitable cells, the group of non-excitable cells, and the third group of excitable cells; and

application of a third electrical signal to the third connector absent application of the first electrical signal to the first connector and absent application of the second electrical signal to the second connector does not cause current to flow at either of the first connector or the second connector.

16. The logic gate of claim 14 , wherein the first group of excitable cells, the second group of excitable cells, the third group of excitable cells, and the group of non-excitable cells are configured such that the logic gate functions as an AND gate, wherein:

application of the first electrical signal to the first connector absent application of the second electrical signal to the second connector does not cause current to flow at the third connector;

application of the second electrical signal to the second connector absent application of the first electrical signal to the first connector does not cause current to flow at the third connector; and

17. The logic gate of claim 12 , wherein each of the first group of excitable cells and second group of excitable cells are capable of creating an action potential.

18. The logic gate of claim 12 , wherein each of the first group of excitable cells and second group of excitable cells are capable of creating an action potential in response to a signal selected from the group consisting of an electrical signal and a mechanical signal.

19. The logic gate of claim 12 , wherein each of the first group of excitable cells and second group of excitable cells are selected from the group consisting of neurons, muscle cells, and endocrine cells.

20. The logic gate of claim 12 , wherein each of the first group of excitable cells and second group of excitable cells are a cardiomyocyte.

21. The logic gate of claim 12 , wherein the group of non-excitable cells are not capable of producing an action potential.

22. The logic gate of claim 12 , wherein the group of non-excitable cells comprise at least one gap junction.

23. The logic gate of claim 12 , wherein the group of non-excitable cells comprise a heart fibroblast.

24. The logic gate of claim 12 , further comprising a third connector electrically connected to the group of non-excitable cells.

25. The logic gate of claim 24 , wherein the first group of excitable cells, the second group of excitable cells, and the group of non-excitable cells are configured such that the logic gate functions as an OR gate, wherein:

26. The logic gate of claim 24 , wherein the first group of excitable cells, the second group of excitable cells, and the group of non-excitable cells are configured such that the logic gate functions as an AND gate, wherein:

application of the first electrical signal to the first connector absent application of the second electrical signal to the second connector does not cause current to flow at the third connector;

application of the second electrical signal to the second connector absent application of the first electrical signal to the first connector does not cause current to flow at the third connector; and

27. The logic gate of claim 26 , wherein each of the first group of excitable cells and the second group of excitable cells are 100 to 500 micrometers (μm) in width, and further wherein the group of non-excitable cells is 20 to 200 micrometers (μm) in width.

28. The logic gate of claim 12 , wherein the first group of excitable cells is not directly mechanically or electrically connected to the second group of excitable cells.

Assignments (4)

CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Dec 28, 2023

From: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

To: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Reel/Frame 066142/0133 →

CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Jun 30, 2021

From: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

To: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Reel/Frame 057318/0764 →

CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Apr 25, 2018

From: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

To: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION