Method and system for forming an acoustic signal from neural timing difference data

• US 20030195584A1
• Filed: 05/20/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas P. Dawson
• Original Assignee: Thomas P. Dawson
• Inventors: Dawson, Thomas P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,889,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/08 Devices or methods enabling eye-patients to replace direct visual perception by another kind of perception
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/007 in which the audio signals are in digital form data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02

Abstract

A non-invasive system and process for converting sensory data, e.g., visual, audio, taste, smell or touch, to neural firing timing differences in a human brain and using acoustic signals to generate the neural firing time differences. Data related to neural firing time differences, the acoustic signals, and a user'"'"'s response map may be stored in memory. The user'"'"'s response map may be used to more accurately map the calculated neural firing time differences to the correct neural locations.

Claims

1. A method to alter neural firing times in a brain, the method comprising:

non-invasively projecting a first acoustic signal into the brain;

storing a user sensory response and data related to the first acoustic signal in a memory;

non-invasively projecting a second acoustic signal into the brain; and

storing a user sensory response and data related to the second acoustic signal in the memory.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first acoustic signal varies in amplitude from the second acoustic signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first acoustic signal varies in frequency from the second acoustic signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first acoustic signal varies in duration from the second acoustic signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second acoustic signal is configured to affect the neural firing time of the first neural location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second acoustic signal is configured to affect the neural firing time of a second neural location.

8. (Once amended) The method of claim 7, further comprising:

non-invasively projecting additional acoustic signals into the brain; and

storing user sensory responses and data related to the additional acoustic signals in a memory; and

creating a map of neural locations, user sensory responses and data related to the acoustic signals.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

non-invasively projecting additional acoustic signals into the brain, the additional acoustic signals configured to affect neural firing times at a plurality of neural locations in the brain; and

storing user sensory responses and data related to the additional acoustic signals in a memory; and

creating a map of neural locations, user sensory responses and data related to the acoustic signals.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising categorizing the data related to the signals by targeted neural locations.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second acoustic signals comprise high frequency acoustic signals pulsed at low frequencies.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second acoustic signals each comprise a pulsed signal generated by a primary transducer array and a secondary transducer array, the primary transducer array generating a reference wave and the secondary transducer array generating a diffraction pattern.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second acoustic signals are projected into a visual cortex of the brain.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first acoustic signal causes the user to perceive a first bright area in a simulated visual field, and the second acoustic signal causes the users to perceive a second bright area in the simulated visual field.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second acoustic signals are projected into a cochlear channel of the brain.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first acoustic signal causes the user to perceive a first sound in a simulated auditory range, and the second acoustic signal causes the user to perceive a second sound in the simulated auditory range.

2. A method to alter neural firing times in a brain, the method comprising:

non-invasively projecting a first acoustic signal into the brain, the first acoustic signal configured to affect a neural firing time at a first neural location in the brain;

storing a user sensory response and data related to the first acoustic signal in a memory;

non-invasively projecting a second acoustic signal into the brain; and

storing a user sensory response and data related to the second acoustic signal in the memory.

17. A method of customizing a library of data related to acoustic signals configured to alter neural firing times in a brain, the method comprising:

retrieving data related to a first acoustic signal from a memory;

projecting a first acoustic signal into the brain using the data related to a first acoustic signal;

storing a user sensory response with the data related to the first acoustic signal in the memory;

retrieving data related to a second acoustic signal form the memory;

projecting a second acoustic signal in the brain using the data related to the second acoustic signal; and

storing a user sensory response with the data related to the second acoustic signal in the memory.

18. A method of customizing a library of data related to acoustic signals configured to alter neural firing times in a brain, the method comprising:

retrieving data related to a first acoustic signal from a memory;

projecting a first acoustic signal into the brain using the data related to a first acoustic signal, the first acoustic signal configured to affect a neural firing time at a first neural location in the brain;

storing a user sensory response with the data related to the first acoustic signal in the memory;

retrieving data related to a second acoustic signal from the memory;

projecting a second acoustic signal in the brain using the data related to the second acoustic signal; and

storing a user sensory response with the data related to the second acoustic signal in the memory.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second acoustic signal is configured to affect the neural firing time of the first neural location.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the second acoustic signal is configured to affect the neural firing time of a second neural location.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the first and second acoustic signals each comprise a pulsed signal generated by a primary transducer array and a secondary transducer array, the primary transducer array generating a reference wave and the secondary transducer array generating a diffraction pattern.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising calibrating components that generate the first and second acoustic signals.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising transferring the user sensory responses and the data in the memory to a second memory.

24. A method for projecting sensory data in a human brain, the method comprising:

calculating neural firing time differences for mapped neural locations in the brain based on received sensory input;

selecting data in a memory related to signals configured to generate the neural firing time differences in the brain; and

projecting the signals to generate the neural firing time differences into the brain.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the neural firing time differences are configured to cause the brain to experience the sensory input.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the neural firing time differences are configured to cause the brain to experience a sensation that is similar to the sensory input.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein applying the signals comprises:

emitting a first acoustic energy as a coherent signal source toward the brain; and

producing a diffraction pattern for the first emitted acoustic energy, the diffraction pattern configured to cause the neural firing time differences.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising summing the signals configured to generate the neural firing time differences in the brain.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

selecting a reference signal based on a type of transducer used to produce the signals configured to generate the neural firing time differences in the brain; and

applying the reference signal to the brain, wherein signals configured to generate the neural firing time difference in the brain shape the pulse of the reference signal.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the sensory input is selected from a group consisting of an image, a sound, a video, a textual piece, and audio piece, a smell, a taste and a tactile sensation.

31. A system to alter neural firing times in a brain, the system comprising:

a transducer system configured to non-invasively project a first acoustic signal and a second acoustic signal into the brain;

a signal generating coupled to the transducer system; and

a memory coupled to the signal generator, the memory configured to store;

data related to the first and second acoustic signals; and

user sensory responses produced by the first and second acoustic signals,

wherein the signal generator is configured to select data in the memory related to signals configured to generate the neural firing time differences in the brain, the transducer system is configured to apply the signals to generate the neural firing time differences in the brain.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising an input device configured to allow a user to modify the data into the memory.

33. The system of claim 31, further comprising an input device configured to allow a user to enter new data into the memory.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the data related to the first and second acoustic signals are categorized by targeted neural locations.

35. The system of claim 31, further comprising:

a processing module coupled to the signal generator and the memory, the processing module being configured to calculate neural firing time differences for mapped neural locations in the brain based on a sensory input.

36. A method for generating sensory responses in a brain comprising:

coupling a reference signal to a neural cortex in the brain; and

coupling a pulse shaping signal to the neural cortex in the brain to shape energy from the reference signal in a desired pattern onto the neural cortex in the brain.

37. A method for generating sensory data in a brain comprising:

projecting an ultrasonic sensory pattern of energy towards a neural cortex, said ultrasonic sensory pattern of energy configured to affect neural firing timing in the neural cortex; and

pulsing separately one or more portions of the ultrasonic sensory pattern of energy to create a desired sensory energy pattern.

38. A method for altering neural firing timing in a neural cortex comprising:

applying ultrasonic energy to one or more selected locations of the neural cortex; and

pulsing the ultrasonic energy at a low frequency in one or more predetermined patterns.

39. A method for generating sensory data in a brain comprising:

creating a desired pattern of energy to be applied to one or more locations in a neural cortex of the brain;

generating a pulse-shaped ultrasonic energy pattern to match the desired pattern of energy; and

directing the pulse-shaped ultrasonic energy pattern towards the one or more locations in the neural cortex of the brain.

40. A non-invasive system for projecting sensory data in a part of a human brain, the system comprising:

a primary transducer array configured to emit acoustic energy as a coherent signal source toward the human brain;

a secondary transducer array positioned in a predetermined position relative to the primary transducer array and the human brain; and

a sensory data processing system coupled to the secondary transducer array, wherein the sensory data processing system sends an acoustical pattern signal to the secondary transducer array, the secondary transducer array producing a diffraction pattern for the emitted energy from the primary transducer array, the diffraction pattern configured to alter neural firing timing in the brain.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the primary and secondary transducer arrays are separated by a distance substantially equal to the wavelength of the emitted energy from the primary array.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the primary and secondary transducer arrays are separated by a distance substantially equal to a multiple of the wavelength of the emissions from the primary array.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the primary transducer array appears to the secondary transducer array as a coherent signal source.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein emitted energy from the secondary transducer array is amplitude and phase shifted from the emitted energy from the primary array.

45. The system of claim 40, wherein an interaction of emitted energies from the primary and secondary transducer arrays produces an interference pattern, which is projected into the human brain.

46. The system of claim 40, wherein an interaction of emitted energies from the primary and secondary transducer arrays produces a plurality of controllable, low frequency pulses.

47. The system of claim 40, wherein the primary transducer array comprises an array of piezoelectric elements.

48. The system of claim 40, wherein the secondary transducer array comprises an array of piezoelectric elements.

49. The system of claim 40, wherein the primary and secondary arrays comprise a plurality of piezoelectric elements that are held together by a flexible material, wherein the primary and secondary arrays may conform to a shape of the human head.

50. The system of claim 40, wherein the sensory data processing system obtains sensory data from a data source selected from a group consisting of a video camera, a VCR, a DVD player, a cable broadcast, a satellite broadcast, and an Internet connector.

51. The system of claim 40, wherein the sensory data processing system comprises a processing module configured to convert analog data from a data source to digital data for the secondary transducer array.

52. The system of claim 40, wherein the sensory data processing system converts sensory data to a plurality of neural firing time differences, and converts the neural firing time differences to an acoustical pattern signal, which is sent to the secondary transducer array.

53. The system of claim 40, wherein the sensory data processing system comprises:

a signal generator coupled to the secondary transducer array, the signal generator generating an acoustical pattern signal to the secondary transducer array, the acoustical pattern signal being based on sensory data from a sensory data source; and

a reference signal generator coupled to the primary transducer array, the reference signal generator generating a reference signal to the primary transducer array.