Transbody communication systems employing communication channels

Abstract

Transbody communication systems employing communication channels are provided. Various aspects include, for example, an in vivo transmitter to transmit an encoded signal; a transbody functionality module to facilitate communication of the encoded signal; and a receiver to receive the encoded signal. Methods and apparatus are also provided.

1 . A system comprising:
 an in vivo transmitter to transmit an encoded signal;   a transbody functionality module to facilitate communication of the encoded signal; and   a receiver to receive the encoded signal.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transbody functionality module is selected from the group consisting essentially of a beacon functionality module, a frequency hopping functionality module, and a collision avoidance functionality module. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the beacon functionality module comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting essentially of:
 a beacon wakeup module to provide beacon wakeup functionality;   a beacon signal module to provide beacon signal functionality;   a wave/frequency module to provide a continuous wave and a single frequency tone;   a multiple frequency module to provide multiple frequencies; and   a modulated signal module to provide at least one modulated encoded signal.   
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein a frequency ratio of a beacon and data channel is invariant to frequency error in an ingestible event marker system to provide additional assurance of detection of the encoded signal. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the frequency hopping functionality module comprises a random module to provide random frequency hops on a narrow band transmitted signal. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the collision avoidance functionality module comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting essentially of:
 a transmitter module to provide a first in vivo transmitter transmitting at a first frequency and a second in vivo transmitter transmitting at a second frequency module;   a duty cycle modulation module to provide duty cycle modulation functionality;   a retransmit randomization module to provide random retransmittals; and   a spread spectrum module to provide spread spectrum functionality.   
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the duty cycle modulation module includes a dithering module to dither a duty cycle and frequency spread module to spread the transmissions among multiple frequencies. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the transmitter modules comprises a multiple band pass filter module to provide multiple band pass filtering by different devices wherein respective encoded signals are filtered by respective band pass filters. 
   
   
       9 . A method comprising:
 transmitting, via an in vivo transmitter, an encoded signal;   facilitating, via a transbody functionality module, communication of the signal; and   receiving, via a receiver, the encoded signal.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 providing characteristics of the encoded signal, wherein the characteristics optimize power consumption to facilitate the receiver in at least one of the following: spending maximum time in an inactive mode, waking up quickly, and waking up during a period of high probability that the transmitter is present.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the facilitating, via a transbody functionality module, communication of the signal comprises at least one of:
 facilitating, via a beacon functionality module, communication of the encoded signal;   facilitating, via a frequency hopping functionality module, communication of the encoded signal; and   facilitating, via a collision avoidance functionality module, communication of the encoded signal.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the facilitating, via a beacon functionality module communication of the signal comprises at least one of:
 providing beacon wakeup functionality;   providing beacon signal functionality;   generating a continuous wave, single frequency tone;   providing a first frequency that is different from a data signal which is at a second frequency; and   modulating the encoded signal.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the facilitating, via a frequency hopping functionality module, communication of the encoded signal comprises generating random frequency hops on a narrow band transmitted signal. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the facilitating, via a collision avoidance functionality module, communication of the encoded signal comprises at least one of:
 transmitting, via a first in vivo transmitter at a first frequency and transmitting, via a second in vivo transmitter, at a second frequency;   modulating a duty cycle;   retransmitting randomly; and   spreading across a frequency spectrum.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the modulating a duty cycle includes dithering the duty cycle and spreading among frequencies. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the transmitting at different frequencies comprises providing multiple band pass filtering by different devices wherein respective encoded signals are filtered by respective band pass fillers. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 9  in a form of a machine-readable medium embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform the method of  claim 8 . 
   
   
       18 . An article, comprising:
 a storage medium having instructions, that when executed by a computing platform, result in execution of a method of providing transbody communications employing communication channels in a living body, the method comprising:
 transmitting, via an in vivo transmitter, an encoded signal; 
 facilitating, via a transbody functionality module, communication of the signal; and 
 receiving, via a receiver, the encoded signal. 
   
   
   
       19 . The article of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 providing characteristics of the encoded signal, wherein the characteristics optimize power consumption to facilitate the receiver in at least one of the following: spending maximum time in an inactive mode, waking up quickly, and waking up during a period of high probability that the transmitter is present.   
   
   
       20 . The article of  claim 18 , wherein the facilitating, via a transbody functionality module, communication of the signal comprises at least one of:
 facilitating, via a beacon functionality module, communication of the encoded signal;   facilitating, via a frequency hopping functionality module, communication of the encoded signal; and   facilitating, via a collision avoidance functionality module, communication of the encoded signal.