Patent ID: 8036748

Claim:
A system for providing instructions to a therapeutic device, the system comprising: an ingestible unit comprising: a housing; and an effector module secured within the housing for providing an effector instruction, wherein the housing dissolves upon contact with the surrounding fluid of a desired target site to release the effector module and the effector module comprises a support structure including two dissimilar materials deposited thereon wherein the dissimilar materials represent a voltage potential difference and provide power for the ingestible unit upon contact with the fluid; a responder module in communication with the therapeutic device for receiving and processing the effector instruction, wherein the effector instruction alters at least an operation of the therapeutic device; and a hermetically sealed conductance control module electrically coupled to each of the dissimilar materials for controlling the conductance between the dissimilar materials to generate a unique current signature that presents the effector instruction, wherein the current signature is produced through controlled ionic emission.