Flexible processors and flexible memory

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9582465-B2
Application number	US-201213691448-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2012
Priority date	Nov 15, 2012
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus includes but is not limited to a non-volatile memory array and a processor integrated with the apparatus. The processor is operable to operate in combination with the non-volatile memory array to accumulate information associated with a product. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a flexible biodegradable substrate configured to conform to at least one of internal or surface biological tissue;
one or more non-volatile memory arrays configured as flexible biodegradable memory formed of biodegradable circuit components integrated onto the flexible biodegradable substrate; and
one or more processors configured as a flexible biodegradable integrated circuit formed of biodegradable circuit components integrated onto and distributed spatially and functionally over the one or more non-volatile memory arrays and integrated onto the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more processors configured to accumulate information relating at least in part to contact with the internal or surface biological tissue, wherein the flexible biodegradable integrated circuit integrated onto the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, and the one or more processors are configured in a flexible structure that conforms to the at least one of internal or surface biological tissue.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a medical device integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays and the one or more processors configured for implantable or external contact with the at least one of internal or surface biological tissue.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays and the one or more processors; wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to accumulate and communicate information about use of the product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, and the one or more processors.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays and the one or more processors; wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to accumulate and communicate information about at least one biological entity in association with the product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, and the one or more processors.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays and the one or more processors; wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to accumulate and communicate information about at least one biological entity in communication with the product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, and the one or more processors.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays and the one or more processors; wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to accumulate and communicate information about at least one biological entity in contact with the product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, and the one or more processors.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays and the one or more processors; wherein:
the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more processors, and the one or more non-volatile memory arrays are integrated onto a printed polymer for integration with the product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, and the one or more processors.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays and the one or more processors; wherein:
the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more processors, and the one or more non-volatile memory arrays are integrated onto a printed flexible polymer for integration with the product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, and the one or more processors.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a communication interface integrated with the one or more processors, and the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, the communication interface operable for communication with a network.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a communication interface integrated with the one or more processors, and the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, the communication interface operable for communication with a network wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to perform data preprocessing, history tracking, and manage data and history communication associated with the accumulated information relating at least in part to contact with the at least one of internal or surface biological tissue.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
one or more volatile memories integrated onto the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays and the one or more processors.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to monitor tactile contact of the at least one of internal or surface biological tissue with a product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, and the one or more processors.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays and the one or more processors; wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to monitor tactile contact of the at least one of internal or surface biological tissue with the product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, and the one or more processors, determine statistics on type, characteristics, and number of occurrences of tactile contact of the at least one of internal or surface biological tissue with the product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, and the one or more processors, and store the statistics for access.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays and the one or more processors; wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to monitor conditions of the product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, and the one or more processors independently of commands received from a source external to the product integrated with the flexible biodegradable substrate, the one or more non-volatile memory arrays, and the one or more processors.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:
the one or more non-volatile memory arrays is partitioned into a plurality of memory blocks; and
the one or more processors include biodegradable control logic partitioned into a plurality of command logic blocks spatially distributed over the one or more non-volatile memory arrays wherein one or more of the plurality of command logic block are associated with ones of the plurality of memory blocks.

16. The apparatus ac

Assignees

• Elwha Llc A Ltd Liability Corp State Delaware
• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Hyde Roderick A
• Pasch Nicholas F
• Tegreene Clarence T

Classifications

• Y02B60/1225

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• A61B5/6846

  specially adapted to be brought in contact with an internal body part, i.e. invasive · CPC title

• A61B5/6801

  specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface · CPC title

• Y02B60/1207

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• G06F15/7814 Primary

  Specially adapted for real time processing, e.g. comprising hardware timers · CPC title