Signal detection device and signal detection method

• US 10,295,367 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Japan Science And Technology Agency
• Original Assignee: Japan Science And Technology Agency
• Inventors: Sekitani, Tsuyoshi, Someya, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoklosa, Joseph A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Antiskay, Brian M
• Application Number:
  US14/432,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20150276430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,059 Days
• Field of Search: 600300, 600372, 600382-393, 600544-545, 600587, 600377-378, 607115-118
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0217 Electrolyte containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/251 Means for maintaining electrode contact with the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/266 containing electrolytes, conductive gels or pastes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/277 Capacitive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/28 for electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/028 mitigating undesired influences, e.g. temperature, pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/48 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the solid state body in operation, e.g. leads, terminal arrangements ; Selection of materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0657 Stacked arrangements of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/18 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different subgroups of the same main group of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/20 Resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/40 Capacitors

Abstract

A signal detection device according to an aspect of the invention includes a laminated structure of a first circuit layer (201) in which a plurality of electrodes brought into contact with a subject is formed, a second circuit layer (202) in which a plurality of amplifiers having an input portion capacitively coupled to the plurality of electrodes, respectively, is formed, and a third circuit layer (203) in which a plurality of transistors for reading outputs of the plurality of amplifiers is formed, an insulation layer which seals the second circuit layer is formed between the plurality of electrodes formed in the first circuit layer and the second circuit layer, and the plurality of electrodes and the input portions of the plurality of amplifiers are capacitively coupled to each other via the insulation layer.

Claims

1. A signal detection device which detects a signal generated from a subject, the device having a Young'"'"'s modulus of less than 1 kPa and comprising a laminated structure of:

a first circuit layer in which a plurality of electrodes brought into contact with the subject is formed;

a second circuit layer in which a plurality of amplifiers having an input portion capacitively coupled to the plurality of electrodes, respectively, is formed; and

a third circuit layer in which a plurality of transistors for reading outputs of the plurality of amplifiers is formed;

wherein an insulating layer which seals the second circuit layer is formed between the plurality of electrodes formed in the first circuit layer and the second circuit layer, and the plurality of electrodes and the input portions of the plurality of amplifiers are capacitively coupled to each other through the insulating layer, and

wherein the first circuit layer and the second circuit layer, and the second circuit layer and the third circuit layer, are each electrically connected through a conductive sheet, wherein the first circuit layer and the third circuit layer have a same bending rigidity.

2. The signal detection device according to claim 1,

wherein the electrode is made of a conductive material in which a carbon nanomaterial doubly covered with molecules constituting a hydrophilic ionic liquid and a water-soluble polymer is dispersed in a water-soluble polymer medium and the water-soluble polymer is crosslinked.

3. The signal detection device according to claim 1,

wherein wiring for reading output signals of the plurality of amplifiers formed in the second circuit layer through the plurality of transistors formed in the third circuit layer is drawn to one side of the third circuit layer opposite the other side on which the second circuit layer is positioned.

4. The signal detection device according to claim 3,

wherein the wiring is drawn to the one side of the third circuit layer in an outer circumferential region of the third circuit layer.

5. The signal detection device according to claim 1,

wherein a plurality of capacitors is formed in the first circuit layer to capacitively couple the plurality of electrodes formed in the first circuit layer and input portions of the plurality of amplifiers formed in the second circuit layer.

6. The signal detection device according to claim 1,

wherein the first circuit layer and the second circuit layer, and the second circuit layer and the third circuit layer, are each electrically connected through an anisotropic conductive sheet.

7. The signal detection device according to claim 1,

wherein a member constituting the first circuit layer forms a sealing layer which seals the second circuit layer.

8. The signal detection device according to claim 1,

wherein the second circuit layer is interposed between the first circuit layer and the third circuit layer, and thus the first circuit layer, the second circuit layer, and the third circuit layer are laminated, and the first circuit layer and the third circuit layer have the same bending rigidity.

9. A signal detection method of detecting a signal from the subject by using the signal detection device according to claim 1, the method comprising the step of:

selectively reading output signals of any of the plurality of amplifiers formed in the second circuit layer through the plurality of transistors formed in the third circuit layer.

10. The signal detection method according to claim 9,

wherein the step of selectively reading output signals of any of the plurality of amplifiers formed in the second circuit layer includes a first step of scanning and sequentially reading output signals of the plurality of amplifiers through the plurality of transistors, a second step of generating a strength distribution of the output signals of the plurality of amplifiers read in the first step, and a third step of simultaneously reading one or more output signals of the plurality of amplifiers specified based on the result of the analysis of the strength distribution.

11. The signal detection device according to claim 1, wherein the second circuit layer and the third circuit layer are separated from the plurality of electrodes by an A10x/SAM layer.