US3575162A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Physiological monitors and method of using the same in treatment of disease
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1968-12-23
•
Granted: 1971-04-20
•
Expires: 1988-12-23
Abstract
Abstract Psychotherapeutic treatment of a subject is facilitated by providing the subject with meaningful feedback information derived with the aid of a self-monitoring machine which measures a physiological or psychophysiological variable not ordinarily sensed by the subject. Depending on the nature of the relationship between the variable and the unwanted condition being treated or investigated, the subject learns to gain control over or to account for adverse or unwanted changes in the variable, thereby aiding in the treatment of the unwanted condition or the recognition of the unwanted condition. A specific embodiment of a self-monitor comprises a detector for generating an electrical signal at each heart pulse, a circuit for modifying and compensating the signal to eliminate normal changes in pulse rate and visual signal lights for indicating only significant pulse rate changes to the subject.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth R Gaarder
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 09:15
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/48; A61B5/486; A61B5/02; A61B5/024; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/905
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of treating a subject for a disability comprising continuously measuring a psychophysiological function which fluctuates in response to a characteristic of the disability being treated and generating an electrical signal which varies with changes in the function, electrically processing the signal to obtain a signal which is related to the difference between the instantaneous value of the fluctuating signal and the recent values of the fluctuating signal whereby the effects of slow changes in the variable being measured are eliminated and whereby the last-named signal is indicative of a change relative to the subject''s own recent performance, and transmitting the last-named signal to stimulate one of the patient''s senses whereby the patient can learn to exercise control over the disability by reacting to said last-named signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of treating a subject for a disability comprising continuously measuring a psychophysiological function which fluctuates in response to a characteristic of the disability being treated and generating an electrical signal which varies with changes in the function, electrically processing the signal to obtain a signal which is related to the difference between the instantaneous value of the fluctuating signal and the recent values of the fluctuating signal whereby the effects of slow changes in the variable being measured are eliminated and whereby the last-named signal is indicative of a change relative to the subject''s own recent performance, and transmitting the last-named signal to stimulate one of the patient''s senses whereby the patient can learn to exercise control over the disability by reacting to said last-named signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said electrical processing step includes the step of modifying the signal in accordance with the mean value of the psychological function being measured over a preceding short time period.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
150 words
In the psychotherapeutic treatment of a subject the method which comprises: measuring over a period of time the instantaneous value of a physiological function of the subject which varies upon the subject''s undergoing a physiopsychological change and converting said measurement into a first electrical signal which varies nearly instantaneously with changes in the function being measured; generating a second electrical signal from said measurement the instantaneous value of which corresponds to the mean value of the function during a preceding short time period; electrically comparing said first and second signals and generating one of two subject-stimulating signals, one of which is responsive only to a predetermined increase of said first signal with respect to said second signal; and the other of which is responsive only to a predetermined decrease of said first signal with respect to said second signal; and exposing the subject to said stimulating signal during said treatment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
150 words
In the psychotherapeutic treatment of a subject the method which comprises: measuring over a period of time the instantaneous value of a physiological function of the subject which varies upon the subject''s undergoing a physiopsychological change and converting said measurement into a first electrical signal which varies nearly instantaneously with changes in the function being measured; generating a second electrical signal from said measurement the instantaneous value of which corresponds to the mean value of the function during a preceding short time period; electrically comparing said first and second signals and generating one of two subject-stimulating signals, one of which is responsive only to a predetermined increase of said first signal with respect to said second signal; and the other of which is responsive only to a predetermined decrease of said first signal with respect to said second signal; and exposing the subject to said stimulating signal during said treatment.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as in claim 3 wherein the physiological function which is measured is the subject''s heartbeat and wherein said first and second electrical signals are pulse rate signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as in claim 4 wherein the heartbeat is measured by continuously detecting the intensity of light reflected from a small portion of the subject''s skin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
176 words
Apparatus for use as an aid in treating a subject for a disability during a period when the subject undergoes a change which produces a change in a physiological function, which is not ordinarily sensed by the subject, said apparatus comprising a transducer adapted to be operably associated with the subject and responsive to changes in the physiological function of the subject for producing an electrical signal which varies with said changes; circuit means associated with said transducer for deriving from said signal another signal which is free of normally occurring slow variations not significantly associated with the disability to be treated and which is so simplified as to allow the patient to be able to continue functioning in other concomitant spheres of mental activity; said circuit means includes means for comparing the electrical signal with a signal which is representative of the mean value of the function being measured over a preceding short time period; and transmitter means for transmitting said other signal in a mode to stimulate one of the senses of the subject.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
176 words
Apparatus for use as an aid in treating a subject for a disability during a period when the subject undergoes a change which produces a change in a physiological function, which is not ordinarily sensed by the subject, said apparatus comprising a transducer adapted to be operably associated with the subject and responsive to changes in the physiological function of the subject for producing an electrical signal which varies with said changes; circuit means associated with said transducer for deriving from said signal another signal which is free of normally occurring slow variations not significantly associated with the disability to be treated and which is so simplified as to allow the patient to be able to continue functioning in other concomitant spheres of mental activity; said circuit means includes means for comparing the electrical signal with a signal which is representative of the mean value of the function being measured over a preceding short time period; and transmitter means for transmitting said other signal in a mode to stimulate one of the senses of the subject.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
114 words
Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said circuit means includes means for generating from said first-mentioned signal a second electrical signal the approximate instantaneous value of which corresponds to the mean value of the physiological function during a preceding long time period, means for comparing said second signal with the nearly instantaneous value of the physiological function as represented by the first-mentioned signal, and means for generating one of two patient-stimulating signals, one of which is responsive only to a predetermined increase of said first signal with respect to said second signal and the other of which is responsive only to a predetermined decrease of said first signal with respect to said second signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said transducer produces a signal at each heartbeat of the subject and wherein said circuit means derives and compares signals which are proportioned to the short term average heart rate and to a longer term average heart rate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
138 words
Apparatus for use as an aid in teaching a subject to gain control over a physiological variable which is not ordinarily sensed, said apparatus comprising a transducer adapted to be operably associated with the subject and responsive to changes in the physiological function for producing a raw electrical signal which varies with said changes; electronic circuit means associated with said transducer for deriving from said signal a continuous voltage signal which is proportional to the average value of said raw signal over a predetermined time period; electronic comparing means for comparing said proportional signal with a constant signal and for generating a subject-stimulating signal whenever the difference between the proportion signal with a constant signal and for generation a subject-stimulating signal whenever the difference between the proportion signal and the constant signal is greater than a predetermined amount.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
138 words
Apparatus for use as an aid in teaching a subject to gain control over a physiological variable which is not ordinarily sensed, said apparatus comprising a transducer adapted to be operably associated with the subject and responsive to changes in the physiological function for producing a raw electrical signal which varies with said changes; electronic circuit means associated with said transducer for deriving from said signal a continuous voltage signal which is proportional to the average value of said raw signal over a predetermined time period; electronic comparing means for comparing said proportional signal with a constant signal and for generating a subject-stimulating signal whenever the difference between the proportion signal with a constant signal and for generation a subject-stimulating signal whenever the difference between the proportion signal and the constant signal is greater than a predetermined amount.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said transducer is responsive to the intensity of light reflected from a portion of the subject''s skin so as to generate the pulsing raw signal, and wherein said circuit means derives said continuous voltage signal in proportion to the average rate of the pulses over said predetermined time period.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3123768A
Cited
FR1358828A
Cited
US2439495A
Cited
US2848992A
Cited
US2829637A
Cited
DE1080263B
Cited
US3167658A
Cited
US3202149A
Cited
US3228391A
Cited
US3442263A
Cited
US3414896A
Cited
US3433217A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-04-19 | 1974-10-19 | 1975-04-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-04-19 | 1978-10-19 | 1979-04-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-04-19 | 1982-10-19 | 1983-04-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |