Details for Patent: 8,816,847

Title:	Communication system with partial power source
Abstract:	The system of the present invention includes a conductive element, an electronic component, and a partial power source in the form of dissimilar materials. Upon contact with a conducting fluid, a voltage potential is created and the power source is completed, which activates the system. The electronic component controls the conductance between the dissimilar materials to produce a unique current signature. The system can be used in a variety of different applications, including as components of ingestible identifiers, such as may be found in ingestible event markers, e.g., pharma-informatics enabled pharmaceutical compositions.
Inventor(s):	Zdeblick; Mark (Portola Valley, CA), Robertson; Timothy (Belmont, CA), Pikelny; Aleksandr (Los Angeles, CA), Hafezi; Hooman (Redwood City, CA)
Assignee:	Proteus Digital Health, Inc. (Redwood City, CA)
Filing Date:	Jun 03, 2011
Application Number:	13/153,312
Claims:	1. An electronic device comprising: a control unit; and a partial power source comprising: a first material electrically coupled to the control unit; and a second material electrically coupled to the control unit and electrically isolated from the first material, wherein the first material and the second material are dissimilar and have different electrochemical potential and are configured to generate a voltage potential difference to power the control unit and to complete the partial power source, and are also configured to transmit a magnitude encoded current signal when in contact with a conducting medium, and wherein the control unit conveys information by changing conductance between the first material and the second material such that variations in the magnitude of a current flow, which results from the first material and the second material being in contact with the conducting medium, corresponds to the magnitude encoded current signal, and wherein the first and second materials utilize the conducting medium to radiate the magnitude encoded current signal. 2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the magnitude encoded current signal is transmitted through the conducting medium and is detectable by a receiver. 3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the magnitude encoded current signal propagates through the conducting medium to a receiver. 4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the conducting medium is a conducting fluid. 5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the conducting fluid includes physiological fluid. 6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the conducting fluid includes is contained within a subject's body and includes stomach acids. 7. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the conducting fluid includes tissue. 8. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising at least one current path extender physically associated with the electronic device and configured to extend a current path between the first and second materials. 9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the magnitude encoded current signal is decoded by a receiver. 10. An electronic device comprising: a control unit configured to alter a conductance of the electronic device; a partial power source comprising: a first material electrically coupled to the control unit; and a second material electrically coupled to the control unit and electrically isolated from the first material; and a non-conducting material positioned to extend a current path between the first material and the second material, wherein the first material and the second material are dissimilar and have different electrochemical potential and are configured to generate a voltage potential difference to power the control unit and to complete the partial power source, and are also configured to transmit a magnitude encoded current signal when in contact with a conducting medium, and wherein the control unit conveys information by altering the conductance between the first material and the second material such that variations in the magnitude of a current flow, which results when the first material and the second material are in contact with the conducting medium that forms the current path between the first material and the second material, corresponds to the magnitude encoded current signal, and wherein the first and second materials utilize the conducting medium to transmit the magnitude encoded current signal. 11. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising a power regulation unit electrically coupled to the control unit. 12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the power regulation unit includes an energy dissipation unit. 13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the power regulation unit includes a timing module to control activation and deactivation of the control unit. 14. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising an internal power source coupled to the control unit and configured to power up the electronic device. 15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the internal power source is a battery. 16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the partial power source is a capacitor. 17. An apparatus comprising: a communication device configured to provide a unique signal and a magnitude encoded current signal, wherein the communication device comprises: a support structure including a control unit to control the apparatus' conductance; a first material physically associated with the support structure; a second material physically associated with the support structure at a location different from the location of the first material, wherein the first material and the second material are dissimilar and have different electrochemical potential and are electrically connected through the control unit to transmit the magnitude encoded current signal, and wherein the first material and the second material are configured to generate a voltage potential difference to power the communication device when in contact with a conducting medium; an isolating medium encapsulating the communication device to create an isolated unit, wherein the isolating medium is non-conducting, wherein the control unit conveys information by changing the conductance between the first material and the second material such that variations in the magnitude of a current flow, which results when the first material and the second material are in contact with the conducting medium corresponds the magnitude encoded current signal, and wherein the first and second materials utilize the conducting medium to radiate the magnitude encoded current signal. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the isolating medium acts as a barrier between the communication device and the conducting medium and wherein a breakdown in the barrier allows the conducting medium to come into contact with and activate the communication device to produce the magnitude encoded current signal. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the communication device includes a signaling unit configured to produce the unique signal wherein the unique signal is an electromagnetic signal.