# US 8,771,201 B2 · Health monitoring bolus

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- Number: US 8,771,201 B2
- Document ID: US8771201B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/802,218
- Filed: 2010-06-02
- Published: 2011-12-08
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2010-06-02
- Assignees: Vital Herd, Inc.
- Applicants: Karim M. Gabriel; James H. Rooney, III; Charles M. Ciany; Robert L. Lescanec
- Inventors: Karim M. Gabriel; James H. Rooney, III; Charles M. Ciany; Robert L. Lescanec
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771201B2

## CPC

- A61B 5/076: {Permanent implantation}
- A01K 11/007: {Boluses}
- A61B 5/7257: {using Fourier transforms}
- A61B 2503/40: Animals
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS

## Abstract

A bolus for insertion in a body fluid includes a housing, a chamber in the housing admitting body fluid therein, and a transducer in the housing providing a signal through the body fluid for measuring the pH level and/or temperature of the body fluid. The transducer also generates a signal in response to vibrations to detecting one or more additional physiological parameters.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bolus for insertion in a body fluid in a body cavity, the bolus comprising:
a housing;
a chamber in the housing configured to admit body fluid therein; and
a transducer in the housing, the transducer configured to:
induce a signal through the body fluid admitted into the chamber;
detect one or more parameters of the signal that has passed through the body fluid, the one or more parameters of the signal indicative of a pH level and/or temperature of the body fluid; and
detect ambient vibrations originating from outside the bolus, the vibrations indicative of one or more physiological parameters.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The bolus of claim 1, the bolus further comprising:
one or more layers between the transducer and the chamber, the one or more layers configured to reduce interface reflections.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The bolus of claim 1, the bolus further comprising:
a second chamber containing a medium, the second chamber adjacent to the transducer; and
wherein the transducer is further configured to induce a signal through the medium for measuring a temperature of the medium.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The bolus of claim 1, the bolus further comprising:
a control subsystem in the housing, the control subsystem configured to activate the transducer to induce the signal through the body fluid and the control subsystem configured to receive the one or more parameters of the signal and/or the ambient vibrations.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The bolus of claim 4, the bolus further comprising:
a power source in the housing, the power source configured to supply power to the control subsystem.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The bolus of claim 5, the bolus further comprising:
a charging circuit in the housing, the charging circuit configured to charge the power source.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The bolus of claim 6, wherein the charging circuit is responsive to a voltage generated by the transducer in response to vibrations received by the transducer, the charging circuit supplying the voltage to the power source.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The bolus of claim 4, the bolus further comprising:
a data processing subsystem responsive to the control subsystem, the data processing subsystem configured to analyze the one or more parameters and/or the ambient vibrations to produce diagnosis data.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The bolus of claim 1, the bolus further comprising:
a transmitter in the housing, the transmitter configured to transmit the diagnosis data.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The bolus of claim 8, the bolus further comprising:
a memory configured to store the diagnosis data and a subject identification information.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The bolus of claim 1, wherein the transducer is a bidirectional acoustic transducer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The bolus of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters of the signal are selected from the group consisting of a speed of the signal, a time delay of the signal, an amplitude of the signal, and a frequency response of the signal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 5)

The bolus of claim 5, wherein the power source is an energy storage device.

### Claim 14

A bolus for insertion in a fluid in a body cavity, the bolus comprising:
a chamber configured to admit fluid therein;
a transducer configured to:
induce a signal through the fluid admitted into the chamber;
detect one or more parameters of the signal that has passed through the fluid, the one or more parameters of the signal indicative of a pH level and/or temperature of the fluid; and
detect ambient vibrations originating from outside the bolus, the vibrations indicative of one or more physiological parameters;
a control subsystem configured to activate the transducer to induce the signal through the fluid and the control subsystem configured to receive the one or more parameters of the signal and/or the ambient vibrations;
a data processing subsystem responsive to the control subsystem, the data processing subsystem configured to analyze the one or more parameters of the signal and/or the ambient vibrations to produce diagnosis data; and
a transmitter configured to transmit the diagnosis data.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The bolus of claim 14, the bolus further comprising:
one or more layers between the transducer and the chamber, the one or more layers configured to reduce interface reflections.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The bolus of claim 14, the bolus further comprising:
a second chamber containing a medium, the second chamber adjacent to the transducer; and
wherein the transducer is further configured to induce a signal through the medium for measuring a temperature of the medium.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The bolus of claim 14, the bolus further comprising:
a power source.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The bolus of claim 17, the bolus further comprising:
a charging circuit configured to charge the power source.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The bolus of claim 18, wherein the charging circuit is responsive to a voltage generated by the transducer, the charging circuit supplying the voltage to the power source.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The bolus of claim 14, the bolus further comprising:
a memory configured to store the diagnosis data and a subject identification information.

### Claim 21

A method of determining the health of a subject, the method comprising:
inserting a bolus into the subject, the bolus comprising a transducer and a chamber admitting fluid therein from the subject;
actuating the transducer to induce a signal through the fluid admitted into the chamber;
detecting one or more parameters of the signal that has passed through the fluid, the one or more parameters of the signal detected by the transducer;
analyzing the one or more parameters of the signal detected by the transducer to measure a pH level and/or a temperature of the fluid;
detect ambient vibrations originating from outside the bolus, the vibrations the ambient vibrations detected by the transducer; and
analyzing the ambient vibrations to detect one or more physiological parameters.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, the method further comprising:
producing diagnosis data based on the one or more parameters of the signal and/or the ambient vibrations.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, the method further comprising:
transmitting the diagnosis data.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the subject is selected from the group consisting of a cow, a buffalo, a sheep, and a pig.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein the subject is a cow.

### Claim 26

A health monitoring system comprising a bolus for use inside of a subject and a base station for use outside of the subject, the system comprising:
the bolus for insertion in a body fluid in a body cavity of the subject, the bolus comprising:
a housing;
a chamber in the housing configured to admit body fluid therein;
a transducer in the housing, the transducer configured to:
induce a signal through the body fluid admitted into the chamber;
detect one or more parameters of the signal that has passed through the body fluid, the one or more parameters of the signal indicative of a pH level and/or temperature of the body fluid; and
detect ambient vibrations originating from outside the bolus, the vibrations indicative of one or more physiological parameters;
a data processing subsystem in the housing, the data processing subsystem configured to analyze the one or more parameters and/or the ambient vibrations to produce diagnosis data; and
a transmitter in the housing, the transmitter configured to transmit the diagnosis data; and
the base station, the base station comprising:
a receiver configured to receive the diagnosis data.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The system of claim 26, wherein the base station further comprises memory configured to store the diagnosis data.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The system of claim 27, wherein the base station further comprises a user interface configured to display the diagnosis data.