Integrated Ingestible Event Marker System with Pharmaceutical Product

Abstract

A system and method are provided for securing an ingestible electronic device to a pharmaceutical product without damaging the ingestible electronic device. The product includes the ingestible electronic device being placed on the product in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the ingestible electronic device is placed inside the product. Various embodiments are disclosed in accordance with the present invention for protecting and/or coating of the electronic marker as well as securing the ingestible electronic device onto the product.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method for producing a pharmaceutical product with a current control device, the method comprising:
 securing the current control device to a medication to produce a tagged medication; and   placing a layer on the current control device of the tagged medication to form the pharmaceutical product.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of cutting the protective layer to be the same size as the current control device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of cutting the protective layer to be oversized relative to the current control device so that the protective layer is configured to be secured to a surface of the medication to seal the current control device from the surrounding environment. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of securing comprises using a plurality of adhesive dots as the adhesive portion and positioning the plurality of adhesive dots on a bottom of the current control device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of securing includes using an adhesive sheet as an adhesive portion and making the adhesive sheet the same size as the current control device. 
     
     
         20 . A method for producing an identifiable pharmaceutical tablet that contains a device, the method comprising:
 loading a first portion of raw powder into a cavity defined by a press wheel, wherein the first portion of the raw powder is a drug;   compressing the first portion of the raw powder to form a first tablet portion;   inserting the device into the cavity containing the first tablet portion;   loading a second portion of raw powder into the cavity that forms a second tablet portion; and   pressing the content of the cavity to form the sealing of the first tablet portion to the second tablet portion and thereby forming the identifiable pharmaceutical tablet.   
     
     
         21 . A pharmaceutical product comprising:
 a pill; and   a current control device including comprises a top and a bottom; and   wherein the current control device is secured to the pill using a securing portion located on the bottom of the device for securing the device to the pill; and   wherein a protective layer is positioned on top of the current control device for protecting the current control device from the environment.   
     
     
         22 . The product of  claim 21 , wherein the protective layer is configured to be the same size as the current control device. 
     
     
         23 . The product of  claim 21 , wherein the protective layer is configured to be oversized relative to the current control device, and wherein the protective layer is secured to a surface of the pill and is configured to seal the device from the environment. 
     
     
         24 . The product of  claim 21 , wherein the securing portion comprises a plurality of adhesive dots and wherein the plurality of dots is positioned on the bottom of the current control device. 
     
     
         25 . The product of  claim 21 , wherein the securing portion comprises an adhesive sheet and wherein the adhesive sheet is the same size as the current control device. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the current control device is secured to the pill using an adhesive portion. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising forming the current control device to a shape of the pill. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising forming and securing the protective layer to the shape of the pill using a process, wherein the process comprises at least one of applying heat to the protective layer, applying pressure to the protective layer, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the layer is a protective layer, wherein securing the current control device to the pill comprises securing the current control device to a top surface of the pill, and wherein placing the layer on the current control device comprises placing the protective layer over the current control device on the top surface of the pill. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the protective layer is placed over the current control device such that is covers the current control device entirely and covers at least a portion of the top surface of the pill. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the medication comprises a pill, a capsule, or a tablet. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the medication comprises a capsule, and wherein securing the current control device to the medication comprises securing the current control device to an end of the capsule. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the medication comprises a capsule, and wherein securing the current control device to the medication comprises securing the current control device to an inside surface of the capsule such that the current control device at least partially surrounds the inside surface of the capsule. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising applying a coating to the identifiable pharmaceutical tablet.