Patent ID: 7796043

Claim:
A method for making an electronic pill adapted for monitoring for medication compliance in a patient, the method comprising the steps of: mounting a receive/transmit antenna and electronic circuit onto a flexible substrate; fitting the substrate to the exterior surface of an ingestible medication delivery device by wrapping the substrate and the receive/transmit antenna continuously around a curved portion of the exterior surface of the ingestible medication delivery device; said receive/transmit antenna is formed of one of carbon black, silver ink, iron, a conducting polymer and an edible ink; the antenna detectable from a gastrointestinal tract of the patient by a detecting device positionable external the patient gastrointestinal tract; filling the delivery device with a medication; temporarily storing within the medication delivery device power received from the detecting device; and then after a time delay following the storing step, transmitting from the medication delivery device to the detecting device a signal using the temporarily stored power, the signal indicating the presence of the medication delivery device within the patient.