Strain monitoring system and apparatus
AssigneeCardioMEMS, Inc.
InventorsJason Kroh, Florent Cros, Christophe Courcimault
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This application relates to an apparatus and system for sensing strain on a portion of an implant positioned in a living being. In one aspect, the apparatus has at least one sensor assembly that can be mountable thereon a portion of the implant and that has a passive electrical resonant circuit that can be configured to be selectively electromagnetically coupled to an ex-vivo source of RF energy. Each sensor assembly, in response to the electromagnetic coupling, can be configured to generate an output signal characterized by a frequency that is dependent upon urged movement of a portion of the passive electrical resonant circuit and is indicative of strain applied thereon a portion of the respective sensor assembly.
Claims44
An apparatus for sensing strain on a portion of an implant positioned in a living being, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one sensor assembly mountable thereon a portion of the implant and comprising a passive electrical resonant circuit, wherein the at least one sensor assembly is configured to be selectively electromagnetically coupled to an ex-vivo source of RF energy, and wherein, in response to the electromagnetic coupling, each sensor assembly is configured to generate an output signal characterized by a frequency that is dependent upon urged movement of a portion of the passive electrical resonant circuit between about 10−12 m to about 10−4 m and is indicative of strain applied thereon the portion of the passive electrical resonant circuit of the respective sensor assembly of between about 0.01 to about 10,000 micro-strain.
A system for sensing strain on a portion of an implant positioned in a living being, the system comprising:
- an ex-vivo source of RF energy;
- at least one sensor assembly mountable thereto a portion of the implant and comprising a passive electrical resonant circuit, wherein the passive electrical resonant circuit is configured to be selectively electromagnetically coupled to the ex-vivo source of RF energy, and wherein, in response to the electromagnetic coupling, each sensor assembly is configured to generate an output signal characterized by a frequency that is dependent upon urged movement of a portion of the passive electrical resonant circuit between about 10−12 m to about 10−4 m;
- and
- a receiver configured for receiving the output signal, wherein the characterized frequency is indicative of strain applied thereon the portion of the of the passive electrical resonant circuit of the respective sensor assembly, and wherein the receiver comprises a non-implantable remotely operated receiver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.