US 7,253,716 B2 · Trackable pills with electronic ID tags

Abstract

A medical pill intended for human or animal consumption includes an RF ID tag in or on the pill. The tag will respond to a nearby reader, the tag itself being without a battery or other constant power supply, capturing power from the reader's transmitted signal and storing a portion of that power in a power supply. An antenna for the RF ID tag may be integral with the tag or it may be transferred to the pill using conductive materials in the pill's coating, filler or binding agents, embedded within the pill, or printed onto the pill. If separate from the tag the antenna is electromagnetically coupled to the tag which has a small onboard antenna. The RF ID tag of each pill has data that are transmitted when the tag is interrogated by a signal from a reader. Incorporation of an ingestable ID tag is possible because of the tag's very small size compatible with ingestion and because the tag can contain an antenna within the pill that allows the tag to be read at a substantial distance. Several different methods for deactivating the RF ID tag after ingestion or use of the pill are disclosed. Medicaments other than oral pills can also have the ID tags.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A trackable, authenticatable medical pill, comprising:

a pill of substantially conventional configuration, size, construction and chemistry, essentially not larger than about 3 cm in length and about 1 cm in diameter,
a radio frequency ID tag on or in the pill, including an antenna and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna, and
the integrated circuit including a power supply for storing a portion of energy received by the antenna from a separate reader device that sends out an RF power signal for interrogating a plurality of similar ID tags, a processor circuit receiving power from the power supply and for originating a response to the power signal from a reader device, and a transmitter connected to the processor circuit for transmitting a response signal from the pill to identify or authenticate the pill, the transmitted signal being sent via the antenna,
wherein the medical pill comprises a capsule containing the medication, and wherein the antenna is integrated with a wall of the capsule, and
wherein the antenna includes a conductive trace on the wall of the capsule, spaced away from and electromagnetically coupled to the RF ID tag,
whereby medical pills with the ID tags can be verified for authenticity and/or tracked until medication of the pill is ingested or absorbed by a patient.

3 more elements

A trackable, authenticatable medical pill, comprising:

a pill of substantially conventional configuration, size, construction and chemistry, essentially not larger than about 3 cm in length and about 1 cm in diameter,
a radio frequency ID tag on or in the pill, including an antenna and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna, and
the integrated circuit including a power supply for storing a portion of energy received by the antenna from a separate reader device that sends out an RF power signal for interrogating a plurality of similar ID tags, a processor circuit receiving power from the power supply and for originating a response to the power signal from a reader device, and a transmitter connected to the processor circuit for transmitting a response signal from the pill to identify or authenticate the pill, the transmitted signal being sent via the antenna, and
wherein the antenna comprises a small onboard integral antenna on the tag as well as a conductive trace on or near the surface of the pill and much longer than the onboard antenna of the ID tag, and wherein the radio frequency ID tag is located at a spaced location from the conductive trace, the onboard antenna on the tag being in electromagnetically coupled relationship with the conductive trace such that the conductive trace enhances the tag's antenna producing an increase in radiation efficiency for tag transmission as well as an increase in power received from the power signal of a reader device,
whereby medical pills with the ID tags can be verified for authenticity and/or tracked until medication of the pill is ingested or absorbed by a patient.

2 more elements

A trackable, authenticatable medical pill, comprising:

a pill of substantially conventional configuration, size, construction and chemistry, essentially not larger than about 3 cm in length and about 1 cm in diameter,
a radio frequency ID tag on or in the pill, including an antenna and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna, and
the integrated circuit including a power supply for storing a portion of energy received by the antenna from a separate reader device that sends out an RF power signal for interrogating a plurality of similar ID tags, a processor circuit receiving power from the power supply and for originating a response to the power signal from a reader device, and a transmitter connected to the processor circuit for transmitting a response signal from the pill to identify or authenticate the pill, the transmitted signal being sent via the antenna, and
wherein the radio frequency ID tag is positioned in the pill such as to form an extended aperture radiating system, the pill itself forming a part of the antenna for the tag and the size of the tag antenna being increased by the pill, the pill and tag in combination forming a radiating structure,
whereby medical pills with the ID tags can be verified for authenticity and/or tracked until medication of the pill is ingested or absorbed by a patient.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Trackable pills with electronic ID tags

Life of this patent

Trackable pills with electronic ID tags

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18