US 11,883,199 B1
Interdigitated impedance electrodes of miniaturized impedance sensors
Robert Davis, Provo, UT (US); Nick Morrill, Provo, UT (US); and David Miller, Morgan, UT (US)
Assigned to Tula Health Inc., Farmington, UT (US)
Filed by Brigham Young University, Provo, UT (US)
Filed on Oct. 30, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/669,414.
Int. Cl. A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/0531 (2021.01); A61B 5/021 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 5/681 (2013.01) [A61B 5/0015 (2013.01); A61B 5/02116 (2013.01); A61B 5/0531 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An assembly of
A device, comprising:
a band configured to extend at least partially around a body part of a user, the body part comprising a dermal layer and a subdermal feature adjacent to the dermal layer within the body part;
a user interface coupled to the band;
a processing device coupled to the band;
a miniaturized impedance sensor integrated into the band and positioned in the band to be pressed against the dermal layer adjacent to the subdermal feature, wherein:
the miniaturized impedance sensor comprises interdigitated fingers of miniaturized electrodes alternating between a miniaturized electrode of a first set of miniaturized electrodes and another miniaturized electrode of a second set of miniaturized electrodes;
the first set of miniaturized electrodes is configured to transmit an electric signal into the body part as the user wears the band, wherein:
the first set of miniaturized electrodes straddles the subdermal feature as the user wears the band; and
the first set of miniaturized electrodes comprises:
a first end miniaturized electrode positioned at a first end of the interdigitated fingers of miniaturized electrodes; and
a second end miniaturized electrode positioned at a second end of the interdigitated fingers of miniaturized electrodes; and
the second set of miniaturized electrodes is configured to receive the electric signal through the body part as the user wears the band, wherein:
the second set of miniaturized electrodes straddles the subdermal feature as the user wears the band; and
the second set of miniaturized electrodes comprises two middle miniaturized electrodes adjacent to each other and positioned at a middle of the interdigitated fingers of miniaturized electrodes;
wherein each miniaturized electrode comprises an array of a first miniaturized electrode pillar and a second miniaturized electrode pillar, the first miniaturized electrode pillar comprising a first height greater than a first length or a first width and a first contact surface of the first miniaturized electrode pillar defined by the first length and the first width of the first miniaturized electrode pillar, the second miniaturized electrode pillar comprising a second height greater than a second length or a second width and a second contract surface of the second miniaturized electrode pillar defined by the second length and the second width of the second miniaturized electrode pillar;
wherein the first height of the first miniaturized electrode pillar and the second height of the second miniaturized electrode pillar is configured to extend from the band towards the body part as the user wears the device; and
an electrical circuit embedded in the band interconnecting the user interface, the processing device, or the miniaturized impedance sensor.