US 11,056,774 B2 · Autotune bolus antenna

Abstract

A variable tuning transceiver sealed in a protective housing, such as a bolus, is adjusted to transmit a near optimally tuned signal at a select frequency while in vivo in an animal. More specifically, the variable tuning transceiver provides a plurality of incident power transmissions over an antenna at a plurality of corresponding different capacitance levels as defined by a variable tuning circuit in the transceiver. A detector circuit, also in the transceiver, detects reflected power for each of the incident power transmissions conditioned at each capacitance level which is affected by the dielectric constant in the animal and any mismatches in the antenna. Each reflected power can then be stored in nontransient memory in the transceiver whereby the microprocessor, also in the transceiver, can select the capacitance level with the lowest reflected power found and therefore the strongest external signal from the capacitance levels sampled. Once selected, transmissions which include data from sensors within and on the animal are transmitted externally to an external receiver.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A variable tuning transceiver comprising:

a protective housing that hermetically seals the variable tuning transceiver, the protective housing adapted to protect the variable tuning transceiver from an internal animal environment while the variable tuning transceiver is in vivo in an animal;
a radio frequency transmitter configured to provide a plurality of incident power transmissions at a first frequency over an antenna while from the animal in vivo;
a detector circuit configured to detect a reflected power value over the antenna for each of the plurality of incident power transmissions while from the animal in vivo;
a microprocessor configured to determine a measured return loss from each of the plurality of reflected power values and each of the incident power transmissions while from the animal in vivo;
and
a variable tuning circuit adapted to be changed to produce a transmission signal with a select return loss found from the plurality of measured return losses, the radiofrequency transmitter configured to transmit the transmission signal from the animal in vivo to an external transceiver outside of the animal.

3 more elements

A method for tuning a transceiver in vivo in an animal, the method comprising:

generating a first radio frequency at a first incident power;
setting a variable tuning circuit to a first level;
transmitting a first transmission signal of the first radio frequency at the first incident power passing through the variable tuning circuit that is set at the first level and out an antenna and through the animal;
determining a first return loss from the first transmission signal;
resetting the variable tuning circuit to a second level;
transmitting a second transmission signal of the first radio frequency at the first incident power passing through the variable tuning circuit that is set at the second level and out of the antenna and through the animal;
determining a second return loss from the second transmission signal;
establishing that the second return loss is lower than the first return loss;
and
adjusting the variable turning circuit to the second level.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Autotune bolus antenna

Life of this patent

Autotune bolus antenna

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23