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US4013068A
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US
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Electroencephalographic activated control system
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1974-10-15
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Granted: 1977-03-22
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Expires: 1994-10-15
Abstract
Abstract An EEG activated conrol system responsive to voluntarily or consciously produced EEG signals encoded to correspond to a plurality of commands. There is provided an EEG sensor, typically including electrodes to be worn by the subject and suitable amplification, filtering and pulse-forming circuitry to isolate a desired frequency band of EEG signals and produce pulse signals corresponding thereto. The pulse signals, representative of the EEG signals, from the sensor are applied to command decoder circuitry adapted to detect and differentiate the encoded signals corresponding to the desired command. Suitable actuators are provided to accomplish the desired physical results in response to the decoded commands. A visual display or other feedback device may also be provided to enable the subject to determine that he has successfully produced the encoded EEG signal corresponding to the desired command. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the particular EEG signals employed comprise the alpha waves and the encoding system comprises a serial digital technique wherein each command comprises a specific number of alpha waves in a burst of alpha activity.
Inventors
- 👤 Wayne L. Settle
- 👤 Lowell G. Funston
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; A61B5/24; A61B5/316; A61B5/369; A61B5/375
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
An electroencephalographic acutated control system responsive to a plurality of different commands voluntarily encoded on EEG signals in a predetermined serial digital encoding system wherein each command corresponds to a different predetermined number of waves voluntarily generated in a predetermined frequency range of electroencephalographic activity comprising: EEG sensor means for detecting EEG signals including at least the signals comprising said encoded commands, filter means for selecting signals within said predetermined frequency range from the detected EEG signals, command decoder means responsive to the filtered EEG signals for decoding each of said plurality of different commands including counter means for counting the number of waves of said filtered EEG signals to generate digital signals representative of the number of waves of and corresponding to a digital representation of the encoded command and actuator means responsive to said digital signals of said counter means for controlling apparatus adapted to accomplish each of said commands in response thereto.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
An electroencephalographic acutated control system responsive to a plurality of different commands voluntarily encoded on EEG signals in a predetermined serial digital encoding system wherein each command corresponds to a different predetermined number of waves voluntarily generated in a predetermined frequency range of electroencephalographic activity comprising: EEG sensor means for detecting EEG signals including at least the signals comprising said encoded commands, filter means for selecting signals within said predetermined frequency range from the detected EEG signals, command decoder means responsive to the filtered EEG signals for decoding each of said plurality of different commands including counter means for counting the number of waves of said filtered EEG signals to generate digital signals representative of the number of waves of and corresponding to a digital representation of the encoded command and actuator means responsive to said digital signals of said counter means for controlling apparatus adapted to accomplish each of said commands in response thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined frequency range comprises alpha waves from about 7.5 Hz to about 13 Hz.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising display means responsive to said command decoder means for displaying a numeric representation of the command decoded by said command decoder means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said display means comprises a seven segment numeric display.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said actuator means comprises switching circuitry for energizing apparatus adapted to accomplish said commands.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said command decoder means comprises pulse generator means for regenerating pulses corresponding to the pulse from said EEG sensor means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said counter means comprises a binary coded decimal counter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said command decoder means comprises latch means for temporarily storing the total in said counter upon cessation of a sequence of waves of the EEG signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said command decoder means comprises decoder means for converting the binary coded decimal representation of said commands from said latch means to signals on an array of leads respectively connected to the corresponding actuator means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said command decoder means comprises timer means for conditioning said command decoder means to respond only to subsequent pulses received within a specified time interval from the previous of said pulses.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said timer means comprises an interval timer having a time interval corresponding to said specified time interval and means for resetting said interval timer in response to receipt of a pulse from said pulse generator means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said time interval is about 0.2 seconds.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising amplifier means for amplifying the detected EEG signals from said sensor means for applying the amplified EEG signals to said filter means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 comprising pulse forming means responsive to the filtered EEG signals for generating pulses coresponding to each of the waves of said filtered EEG signals, said pulses being applied to the counter means of said command decoder means.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for controlling apparatus in response to electroencephalographic signals comprising voluntarily encoding at least one of a plurality of commands on EEG signals in a predetermined serial digital encoding system wherein each command corresponds to a different predetermined number of waves voluntarily generated in a predetermined frequency range of electroencephalographic activity, detecting said EEG signals including at least the signals comprising said encoded commands, decoding said commands from the detected EEG signals within said predetermined frequency range, decoding said commands from the detected EEG signals by counting the number of waves of said EEG signals within said predetermined frequency range to form a digital representation of number of waves of and corresponding to a digital representation of the encoded command and controlling said apparatus in response to said digital representation of the encoded command.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for controlling apparatus in response to electroencephalographic signals comprising voluntarily encoding at least one of a plurality of commands on EEG signals in a predetermined serial digital encoding system wherein each command corresponds to a different predetermined number of waves voluntarily generated in a predetermined frequency range of electroencephalographic activity, detecting said EEG signals including at least the signals comprising said encoded commands, decoding said commands from the detected EEG signals within said predetermined frequency range, decoding said commands from the detected EEG signals by counting the number of waves of said EEG signals within said predetermined frequency range to form a digital representation of number of waves of and corresponding to a digital representation of the encoded command and controlling said apparatus in response to said digital representation of the encoded command.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 15 wherein said predetermined frequency range comprises alpha waves from about 7.5 Hz to about 13 Hz.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 16 comprising filtering said alpha waves from the detected EEG signals.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of counting comprises counting only waves detected within a specified time interval from the previous wave.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-03-21 | 1980-09-20 | 1981-03-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-03-21 | 1984-09-20 | 1985-03-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-03-21 | 1988-09-20 | 1989-03-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |