Communication module for in-body devices

Abstract

This invention discloses an external communication module configured to communicate with a swallowable intracellular device. The communication module includes a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. The receiving unit operates within a first frequency range and is configured to receive signals from the intracellular device. The transmitting unit operates within a second frequency range different from the first frequency range and is configured to transmit signals to the intracellular device. The transmitting unit is also configured to act as an auxiliary receiving unit to receive signals from the intracellular device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of communications and transmission, and more particularly to a system configured for communicating with a swallowable in vivo device. Background Technology

[0002] The use of swallowable in vivo devices to monitor and detect pathologies in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is known in the art. In its most common form, the in vivo device includes an in vivo communication module configured to transmit and receive signals, such as transmitting images of the gastrointestinal tract captured by the in vivo device and receiving instructions related to its operation.

[0003] In-vivo devices typically work in conjunction with external devices, including external communication modules, which together form a communication system.

[0004] External devices can be portable devices fitted to the patient as close as possible to the gastrointestinal tract and the general area where the internal device is intended to be located.

[0005] The acknowledgment of the above references in this document should not be construed as implying that these references are in any way related to the patentability of the subject matter disclosed in this invention. Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to one embodiment of the subject matter of this application, an external communication module is provided, configured to communicate with a swallowable in vivo device. The communication module includes a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. The receiving unit is configured to operate in a first frequency range to receive signals from the in vivo device, and the transmitting unit is configured to operate in a second frequency range different from the first frequency range (e.g., excluding overlapping frequencies) to transmit signals to the in vivo device. The transmitting unit further constitutes an auxiliary receiving unit configured to receive signals from the in vivo device.

[0007] In the following text, the terms "uplink unit" and "downlink unit" may be used interchangeably with the terms "receiving unit" and "transmitting unit". Specifically, the term "downlink" refers to transmitting signals to the internal device, while the term "uplink" refers to receiving signals from the internal device.

[0008] The communication module is configured to be positioned outside the body, such as on the patient's body, to allow normal communication between the module and the in-body device.

[0009] The receiving and transmitting units may be comprised of antennas, each designed for its own operating frequency range. According to one example, the first frequency range may be at least an order of magnitude larger / smaller than the second frequency range. The transmitting unit may be configured to operate within the range of 5 MHz to 30 MHz, more specifically within 10 MHz to 20 MHz, and even more specifically within 12 MHz to 15 MHz, while the receiving unit may be configured to operate within the range of 350 MHz to 550 MHz, more specifically within 400 MHz to 500 MHz, and even more specifically within 420 MHz to 450 MHz.

[0010] It should be understood that, since the external module and the internal device need to communicate with each other, it would be desirable to improve transmission quality by using low frequency ranges for both the uplink and downlink, as low frequency transmissions experience lower attenuation within the human body. However, because the internal device needs to transmit large amounts of data (e.g., images obtained from the gastrointestinal tract), using low frequencies, such as those used in the downlink antenna, may not provide sufficient bandwidth for such data volumes. Therefore, while the downlink antenna can still be selected in the aforementioned low frequency range of tens of MHz, the uplink antenna is selected in the high frequency range of hundreds of MHz.

[0011] Based on the foregoing, it should be understood that the downlink antenna is designed for its specific frequency range and therefore will not be expected to perform correctly in significantly different frequency ranges (e.g., one or more higher / lower orders of magnitude, as previously mentioned). Under the concept of the subject matter of this application, it is proposed to use the downlink antenna as an auxiliary uplink (receive) antenna, although this contradicts its initial intended design.

[0012] Due to the unique arrangement of the aforementioned system, which requires close proximity between the external and internal devices, the use of a downlink antenna as an auxiliary receiver has proven surprisingly useful in providing at least some of the necessary uplink communication with the internal device in the high-frequency range.

[0013] In other words, although the downlink antenna's frequency range is approximately 13MHz, and naturally, if this downlink antenna is used as a receiving unit, it cannot be used as an antenna in the high-frequency range (around 400MHz), but it can still be used as a receiving antenna in the near range, albeit with poor performance. Therefore, the aforementioned communication module provides a configuration in which two antennas are designed to operate in two different frequency ranges (high and low frequencies) and for two different purposes, both covering the receiving end of uplink communication with the internal device (which transmits in a single predetermined high-frequency range), thus compensating for each other and resulting in a significant improvement in uplink communication.

[0014] During operation, the in-vivo device, traveling along the patient's gastrointestinal tract, continuously changes its distance from and orientation relative to the external communication module. Although the in-vivo device's transmissions are received by the uplink unit, the device's position and orientation can sometimes cause the uplink unit to misreceive the transmitted signal. In such cases, the downlink unit functions as an auxiliary uplink receiving unit, acting as a backup / complementary receiving unit. Therefore, even if the uplink signal received by the downlink unit has poor quality, it may still be better than the case where the uplink unit alone does not receive any signal at all.

[0015] It should be understood that in some cases, neither the downlink unit nor the uplink unit may receive any signals from the in-body device. However, during testing of the aforementioned uplink / downlink configuration, it was demonstrated that using the downlink unit as an uplink backup allowed for a larger percentage of in-body transmissions to be received compared to the standard configuration in which only the uplink unit was used for uplink reception.

[0016] The communication module may include a processor configured to provide input to a transmission unit (which will then be transmitted to the body device) and to receive data from a receiving unit. The communication module may further include a modem unit disposed between the processor and the receiving / transmission unit, the modem unit being configured to provide communication therebetween.

[0017] The modem unit can be configured to apply a diversity scheme, thereby detecting which of the units provides better uplink transmission and, after such detection, selecting the better transmission to provide to the processor. This optimizes the quality of data received from the internal device.

[0018] According to one example, the uplink unit may have dual connectivity with a modem, one connection for uplink and one connection for downlink, and the modem may be configured to continuously alternate between a downlink mode that provides data to the downlink unit and an uplink mode that receives data from the uplink unit. Alternatively, according to another example, both the uplink and downlink connections of the uplink unit may be connected to the modem via a multiplexer, thereby allowing continuous uplink / downlink communication between the modem and the uplink / downlink unit.

[0019] The communication module may be integrated within an external device configured for attachment to a patient. According to one example, the external device may be a patch configured for application to the patient's skin. According to another example, the internal device may be a portable device configured for carrying by the patient, similar to a monitor. According to yet another example, the external device may be a band configured for attachment to the patient and extending around his / her body, without precise positioning.

[0020] The uplink and downlink antennas can be flat, allowing at least a portion of the communication module to have a flat design, making it particularly suitable for integration into patches or strips as described above. Specifically, the flat design of the communication module allows it to be bent and twisted, thereby allowing it to conform to the natural shape of the patient's body.

[0021] According to a specific example, the communication module may have a rectangular flat panel design with a length dimension L and a width dimension W. In this design, a receiving antenna may be formed on the flat panel, while a transmitting antenna may extend circumferentially along the edge of the flat panel. Specifically, the receiving antenna may be a monopole antenna.

[0022] Depending on the specific design, the transmit antenna can extend around the monopole uplink antenna and is a coil antenna that wraps around the receive antenna several times. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To better understand the subject matter disclosed herein and to illustrate how it can be implemented in practice, embodiments will now be described by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] Figure 1A This is a schematic diagram of a patient's body equipped with a patch including the communication module of this application;

[0025] Figure 1B It comes from Figure 1A A schematic diagram of the patient's gastrointestinal tract, including those configured to interact with... Figure 1A The internal device that communicates with the communication module;

[0026] Figure 2 yes Figure 1A A schematic diagram of the communication module shown;

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 1A The diagram shown is a schematic of a patch including the communication module of this application;

[0028] Figure 4A This is a schematic isometric view of another example of a patch including a communication module according to this application;

[0029] Figure 4B It includes Figure 4A A schematic exploded view of the layers of the patch shown; and

[0030] Figure 4C It is combined with Figure 4A and Figure 4B A schematic front view of the communication module in the patch shown.

[0031] It should be understood that, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, the elements shown in the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn precisely or to scale. For example, for clarity, the dimensions of some elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements, or several physical components may be included in a single functional block or element. Furthermore, where deemed appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated between figures to indicate corresponding or similar elements. Detailed Implementation

[0032] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, modules, units, and / or circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the invention.

[0033] First, focus your attention on Figure 1A and Figure 1B Above, which shows a patient having an in vivo device contained in his gastrointestinal tract in the form of a swallowable capsule C, and externally fitted with a patch P including the communication module of this application (generally denoted by 1).

[0034] Communication module 1 is configured to communicate with the swallowable capsule C as it travels along the gastrointestinal tract, both receiving data from the capsule C (referred to herein as "uplink") and transmitting data to the capsule C (referred to herein as "downlink"). Specifically, uplink data may include images captured by the capsule C, parameters recorded by the capsule C, etc., while downlink data may include instructions transmitted to the capsule, such as changing the operating mode of the capsule C, changing its frame rate, etc.

[0035] Now go to Figure 2 The diagram illustrates a communication module 1, which includes a base 10 made of a flexible material sheet 12, on which a plate M is mounted, and has a downlink antenna 20 and an uplink antenna 30 imprinted on the base, the downlink antenna extending circumferentially around the base 10. The plate M also includes a modem unit 40 associated with both the uplink antenna 30 and the downlink antenna 20 via corresponding connections NU and ND.

[0036] The downlink antenna 20 is in the form of an antenna coil 22 and is configured to transmit data to capsule C at approximately 13.5 MHz. The uplink antenna 30 is in the form of a monopole antenna 32 and is configured to receive transmissions from capsule C at approximately 435 MHz. Furthermore, the downlink antenna 20 is also configured to receive transmissions from capsule C, thus functioning as an auxiliary uplink antenna.

[0037] It should be noted that, due to bandwidth considerations arising from the requirements of transmitting large amounts of data (e.g., in vivo images), capsule C is designed to transmit data in the high-frequency range (hundreds of MHz). Therefore, uplink antenna 30 is selected to operate in the corresponding high-frequency range to optimize reception from capsule C. However, downlink antenna 20 has no similar limitations in its transmission frequency and can therefore be designed to operate in the low-frequency range (tens of MHz), which reduces signal attenuation as it passes through human tissue.

[0038] During its journey through the gastrointestinal tract, capsule C may sometimes reach a location or orientation that causes uplink antenna 30 to fail to properly receive signals transmitted by capsule C. To compensate for this, downlink antenna 20 is used, and this downlink antenna may even be able to pick up signals from capsule C better than uplink antenna 30, although this downlink antenna is optimized for operation in a frequency range significantly different from that of the capsule transmitter.

[0039] Although modem unit 40 is connected to uplink antenna 30 via link 34 only as a receiver, it is also connected to downlink antenna 20 via link 26 as a transmitter and to downlink antenna 20 via link 24 as a receiver. Each of uplink antenna 30 and downlink antenna 20 can pick up strong signals, weak signals, or no signal at all. Modem unit 40 is configured to operate in a diversity scheme, detecting which of links 24 and 34 provides a stronger signal and preferentially selecting the stronger signal over the weaker signal, resulting in at least the following (the terms "weak" and "strong" are used hereby relative to each other):

[0040] Table 1

[0041] Uplink antenna downlink antenna Modem Unit Selection 1 strong signal No signal Signal from uplink antenna 2 strong signal weak signal Signal from uplink antenna 3 weak signal No signal Signal from uplink antenna 4 weak signal strong signal Signal from downlink antenna 5 No signal strong signal Signal from downlink antenna 6 No signal weak signal Signal from downlink antenna 7 No signal No signal none

[0042] It is clearly demonstrated that, during the testing of the aforementioned uplink / downlink configuration, using the downlink unit as an uplink backup statistically allowed a larger percentage of transmissions to be received from the in vivo capsule C compared to a configuration where the downlink antenna was used only for the downlink.

[0043] Now go to Figure 3 The communication module 1 can be incorporated within the patch P, which is then configured for attachment to the patient, for example, by adhesive bonding. It should be noted that the flexibility of the patch 12 (and the antennas 20, 30 printed thereon) offers significant advantages in terms of user comfort, as the patch will adhere to the body and thus provide less restriction on movement to the patient's sides.

[0044] Now go to Figures 4A to 4CThis illustrates another example of a patch (typically denoted by P') according to some implementation schemes, and the patch includes multiple functional layers, including (but not limited to):

[0045] - Adhesive layer 152, which is configured to make direct contact with the patient's body and to fix the position of the patch relative to the patient's body;

[0046] - The communication layer 101 that constitutes the communication module; and

[0047] -Outer cover layer 156;

[0048] The patch 10 also includes a power unit 158 ​​and a processing unit 159 nested within the outer cover layer 156.

[0049] Special Reference Figure 4C The diagram illustrates a scheme for a communication module 101, which includes an elliptical base 110 made of a flexible material sheet 112. The elliptical base is fitted with a plate M and has a downlink antenna 120 and an uplink antenna 130 imprinted on the elliptical base. The downlink antenna extends circumferentially around the elliptical base 110. The plate M and antennas 120 and 130 are configured to be connected to each other via a connection terminal N.

[0050] Communication module 101 is basically similar to the previous communication module 1, with the main differences being the elliptical design of the printed antenna (compared to the rectangular design of communication module 1) and the design of the patch P'.

[0051] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that various changes, modifications, and alterations can be made with necessary alterations without departing from the scope of this invention.

[0052] Therefore, it will be seen that the purposes set forth elsewhere herein and those that are obvious from the foregoing description are effectively achieved, and since certain changes may be made in performing the methods set forth elsewhere herein and in the constructed thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, all that is contained in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0053] In the above specific embodiments, numerous specific details have been set forth to provide an understanding of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, modules, units, and / or circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the invention. Some features or elements described with respect to one embodiment may be combined with features or elements described with respect to other embodiments.

[0054] While embodiments of the invention are not limited in this respect, the terms "a plurality of" and "multiple" as used herein may include, for example, "multiple" or "two or more". The terms "a plurality of" or "multiple" may be used throughout the specification to describe two or more components, devices, elements, units, parameters, etc. This set of terms, when used herein, may include one or more. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, embodiments of the methods described herein are not limited to a particular order or sequence. Furthermore, some of the method embodiments or elements thereof may occur or be performed simultaneously, at the same point in time, or in parallel.

[0055] It should also be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the general and specific features of the invention described herein, as well as all statements which, from a linguistic point of view, can be considered to fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An external device configured to communicate with a swallowable internal device, the external device comprising: A flexible patch having an adhesive layer configured to directly contact a patient's skin to adhere the flexible patch to the patient's skin and a communication layer disposed on the adhesive layer; A main receiving antenna, which is disposed on the communication layer and configured to operate in a first frequency range to receive signals from the in vivo device, wherein the signals from the in vivo device are within the first frequency range; A transmission antenna, disposed on the communication layer and configured to operate in a second frequency range different from the first frequency range to transmit signals to the in-body device, wherein the transmission antenna is also capable of operating as an auxiliary receiving antenna, the auxiliary receiving antenna being configured to operate in the second frequency range to receive signals from the in-body device that are within the first frequency range. A modem, disposed on the communication layer and electrically connected to the main receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna, the modem being configured to select either the receiving antenna or the transmitting antenna based on a comparison between the signal strengths received via the main receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna when the transmitting antenna is used as an auxiliary receiving antenna, wherein the first frequency range and the second frequency range do not overlap, and wherein the external device is configured to perform redundant reception of the signal from the internal device using both the main receiving antenna and the auxiliary receiving antenna.

2. The external device according to claim 1, wherein the first frequency range is at least one order of magnitude larger or at least one order of magnitude smaller than the second frequency range.

3. The external device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting antenna is configured to operate in the range of 5 MHz to 30 MHz.

4. The external device of claim 3, wherein the main receiving antenna is configured for data transmission operating in the range of 350MHz to 550MHz.

5. The external device according to claim 1, wherein, The external device further includes a processor configured to perform at least one of the following: (a) Providing input to the transmitting antenna; or (b) Receive data from the main receiving antenna.

6. The external device according to claim 5, wherein, The modem is configured to provide communication between the processor and at least one of the main receiving antenna or the transmitting antenna.

7. The external device of claim 1, wherein the modem is configured to continuously alternate between a downlink mode and an uplink mode, the downlink mode providing data to the transmit antenna, and the uplink mode receiving data from at least one of the main receive antenna or the transmit antenna used as an auxiliary receive antenna.

8. The external device of claim 1, wherein the main receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are connected to the modem via a multiplexer.

9. The external device of claim 1, wherein the transmission antenna comprises a coil antenna extending circumferentially around the communication layer.

10. The external device of claim 1, wherein the main receiving antenna comprises a monopole antenna disposed on the communication layer, and the transmitting antenna extends around the main receiving antenna.

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