System for processing a subject's electrical activity measurements
First Claim
1. A system for objectively measuring a subjective sensation of pain by a subject comprising:
- (a) a plurality of sensors for measuring electrical activity at a respective plurality of sites on the subject to generate a set of electrical activity measurements; and
(b) a processor connected to the plurality of sensors for processing the set of electrical activity measurements into a normalized signal, determining a level value for the normalized signal within a predetermined range of frequencies, and scaling the level value for the signal into an objective pain measurement.
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Abstract
Methods, apparatuses and systems relating to the objective measurement of the subjective perception of pain in a subject are disclosed. In one aspect, a system for objectively measuring a subjective perception of pain by a subject comprises a plurality of electrodes, including a left channel electrode and a right channel electrode. The plurality of electrodes measures electrical activity at a respective plurality of sites on the subject to generate at least two sets of electrical activity measurements. The system further comprises a processor for processing the at least two sets of electrical activity measurements into at least two normalized signals, and comparing the at least two normalized signals to each other to identify the presence of pain in the subject.
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Citations
132 Claims
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1. A system for objectively measuring a subjective sensation of pain by a subject comprising:
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(a) a plurality of sensors for measuring electrical activity at a respective plurality of sites on the subject to generate a set of electrical activity measurements; and
(b) a processor connected to the plurality of sensors for processing the set of electrical activity measurements into a normalized signal, determining a level value for the normalized signal within a predetermined range of frequencies, and scaling the level value for the signal into an objective pain measurement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 124)
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10. A method of objectively measuring a level of pain subjectively perceived by a subject comprising the steps of:
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(a) selecting a plurality of sites on the subject for sensing electrical activity;
(b) making electrical activity measurements for the plurality of sites;
(c) processing the electrical activity measurements into a normalized signal; and
(d) determining a level value for the normalized signal within a predetermined range of frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 125, 126, 127, 128)
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19. A computer-readable medium having stored therein one or more sequences of instructions for objectively measuring a subjective perception of pain in a subject, said one or more sequences of instructions causing one or more processors to perform a plurality of acts, said acts comprising:
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(a) reading electrical activity measurements from a plurality of sites on the subject;
(b) processing the electrical activity measurements into a normalized signal; and
(c) determining a level value for the normalized signal within a predetermined range of frequencies.
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27. A system for objectively measuring a subjective sensation of pain in a subject comprising:
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(a) means for measuring electrical activity at a respective plurality of sites on the subject to generate a set of electrical activity measurements; and
(b) processing means for processing the set of electrical activity measurements into a normalized signal, and determining a level value for the normalized signal within a predetermined range of frequencies.
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29. A system for objectively measuring a subjective sensation of pain by a subject comprising:
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(a) a plurality of sensors comprising a left channel electrode and a right channel electrode, for measuring electrical activity at a respective plurality of sites on the subject to generate at least two sets of electrical activity measurements; and
(b) a processor connected to the plurality of sensors for processing the at least two sets of electrical activity measurements into at least two normalized signals, and comparing the at least two normalized signals to each other to detect the sensation of pain experienced by the subject.
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41. A method of objectively measuring pain subjectively experienced by a subject, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) selecting a plurality of sites on the subject for sensing electrical activity;
(b) making electrical activity measurements for the plurality of sites;
(c) processing the electrical activity measurements into at least two normalized signals; and
(d) comparing the at least two normalized signals to each other to identify a presence of pain in the subject. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A computer-readable medium having stored therein one or more sequences of instructions for objectively evaluating a subjective sensation of pain in a subject, said one or more sequences of instructions causing one or more processors to perform a plurality of acts, said acts comprising:
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(a) reading electrical activity measurements from a plurality of sites on the subject;
(b) processing the electrical activity measurements into at least two normalized signals; and
(c) comparing the at least two normalized signals to each other to identify a presence of pain in the subject. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 129)
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65. A system for objectively measuring a subjective sensation of pain by a subject comprising:
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(a) means for measuring electrical activity at a respective plurality of sites on the subject to generate at least two sets of electrical activity measurements; and
(b) processing means for processing the at least two sets of electrical activity measurements into at least two normalized signals, and comparing the at least two normalized signals to each other to identify the presence of pain in the subject.
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66. A network for objectively measuring pain subjectively perceived by subjects comprising:
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(a) at least one signal acquisition subsystem for making electrical activity measurements at a respective plurality of sites on each of the subjects;
(b) a signal processing subsystem for analyzing the electrical activity measurements and for determining analysis values representing pain measurements for different periods of time; and
(c) a communication link linking the signal processing subsystem and the at least one signal acquisition subsystem for transmitting the electrical activity measurements of subjects to the signal processing subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. A pain measurement report comprising:
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(a) a reference to a subject; and
(b) a value representing an objective level of pain subjectively experienced by the subject. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74)
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75. A method of operating a network comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving electrical activity measurements on a subject from a remote location;
(b) analyzing the electrical activity measurements to obtain an objective pain measurement report;
(c) transmitting the objective pain measurement report to the remote location; and
(d) receiving non-medical patient information from the remote location for performing the analyzing step.
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76. A system for acquiring a signal representative of a subjective perception of pain by a subject comprising:
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(a) a sensor array for measuring an electrical signal at a site on the subject;
(b) an amplifier for amplifying the signal;
(c) a band-pass filter connected to the amplifier for at least partially removing components of the signal below about 0.1 Hertz and above about 5 Hertz; and
(d) an analog-to-digital converter for converting the signal into a set of discrete values. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 131)
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82. A method of acquiring an electrical signal representative of a subjective perception of pain by a subject comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting an electrical signal at a site on the subject;
(b) amplifying the signal; and
(c) filtering the signal to at least partially remove components of the signal below about 0.1 Hertz and above about 5 Hertz. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 130)
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86. A system for processing electrical activity measurements taken from a subject comprising:
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(a) a memory for storing the electrical activity measurements; and
(b) a processor connected to the memory for processing the electrical activity measurements into a normalized signal, and determining a level value representative of an objective pain measurement for the normalized signal within a predetermined range of frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88, 89, 90)
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91. A method of processing electrical activity measurements taken from a subject comprising the steps of:
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(a) processing the electrical activity measurements into a normalized signal;
(b) determining a level value for the normalized signal within a predetermined range of frequencies; and
(c) scaling the level value for the signal into an objective pain measurement.
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92. A system for processing electrical activity measurements taken from a subject comprising:
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(a) a signal preparer for normalizing the electrical activity measurements;
(b) a pain intensity quantifier connected to the signal preparer for processing the normalized signal to determine a pain intensity level;
(c) a pain detector connected to the signal preparer for processing the normalized signal to determine a pain detection level; and
(d) a confidence assessor connected to the pain intensity quantifier and the pain detector for processing the pain detection level and the pain intensity level to determine an output pain level. - View Dependent Claims (93)
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94. A sensor array for measuring electrical activity on a forehead of a subject comprising:
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(a) a sensor pad;
(b) a left channel electrode positioned proximate to a first edge of the sensor pad;
(c) a right channel electrode positioned proximate to a right edge of the sensor pad;
(d) a common electrode positioned substantially equidistant between the left channel electrode and the right channel electrode; and
(e) filtering circuitry electrically connected to the electrodes for filtering electrical signals from the electrodes in a frequency range between about 0.1 Hertz and about 5 Hertz. - View Dependent Claims (95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 132)
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111. A physiological monitor for measuring vital signs of a subject comprising;
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(a) a system for objectively measuring a subjective perception of pain; and
(b) a thermometer. - View Dependent Claims (112, 113, 114, 116, 117, 119, 123)
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115. A physiological monitor for measuring vital signs of a subject comprising;
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(a) a system for objectively measuring a subjective perception of pain; and
(b) a pulse meter.
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118. A physiological monitor for measuring vital signs of a subject comprising:
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(a) a system for objectively measuring a subjective perception of pain; and
(b) a blood pressure gauge.
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120. A physiological monitor for measuring vital signs of a subject comprising;
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(a) a system for objectively measuring a subjective perception of pain; and
(b) a respiratory gauge.
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121. A system for delivering medication for reducing pain in a subject comprising:
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(a) a reservoir for containing the medication;
(b) a delivery device connected to the reservoir for delivering the medication to the subject;
(c) a delivery counter connected to the reservoir for measuring the medication transferred between the reservoir and the delivery device;
(d) an objective pain measurement device for objectively measuring a subjective perception of the pain in the subject;
(e) a medication delivery controller in communication with the objective pain measurement device, the delivery counter and the delivery device for controlling the amount of medication delivered to the subject by the delivery device based on a delivery rate communicated by the delivery counter and an objective pain measurement communicated by the objective pain measurement device.
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122. An electrical signal containing information objectively describing an intensity of a subjective experience of pain in a subject obtained by a process comprising the steps of:
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(a) selecting a site on the subject for sensing electrical activity;
(b) detecting electrical activity from the site; and
(c) filtering the electrical activity within a frequency range of about 0.1 Hertz to about 5 Hertz.
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Specification