Control apparatus using brain wave signal

• US 20040097824A1
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kageyama, Tatsumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P

Abstract

A control apparatus includes an arithmetic unit for generating a brain wave pattern based on a brain wave signal obtained from a driver'"'"'s head, for comparing the generated brain wave pattern with a plurality of brain wave patterns pre-stored in a control processing unit, when there is a match between the generated brain wave pattern and one of the plurality of brain wave patterns pre-stored in the control processing unit, for identifying an operation description associated with the one of the plurality of brain wave patterns, and for reading corresponding control data so as to generate and deliver a corresponding control signal that causes a vehicle-mounted apparatus to carry out an operation specified by the associated operation description to the vehicle-mounted apparatus based on the control data.

Claims

1. A control apparatus using a brain wave signal, said apparatus comprising:

a first storing means for pre-storing descriptions (referred to as operation descriptions from here on) of a plurality of types of operations, each of which is to be performed on an apparatus to be controlled, and a plurality of brain wave patterns being respectively associated with the descriptions of the plurality of types of operations;

a second storing means for pre-storing a plurality of control data each of which is used for causing an apparatus to be controlled carry out an operation specified by a corresponding operation description stored in said first storing means;

a brain wave detecting means for detecting a brain wave signal from a user'"'"'s head;

a brain wave pattern generating means for generating a brain wave pattern based on the brain wave signal detected by said brain wave detecting means;

a brain wave pattern comparison means for comparing the brain wave pattern generated by said brain wave pattern generating means with the plurality of brain wave patterns stored in said first storing means, and for, when there exists a brain wave pattern substantially matching the generated brain wave pattern in said first storing means, identifying an operation description associated with this brain wave pattern substantially matching the generated brain wave pattern; and

a signal processing means for reading control data corresponding to said identified operation description from said second storing means so as to generate a control signal causing an apparatus to be controlled carry out an operation specified by said identified operation description.

2. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus to be controlled is a vehicle-mounted apparatus and said signal processing means sends out the generated control signal to the vehicle-mounted apparatus.

3. The control apparatus using, brain wave signals according to claim 1, wherein when receiving an instruction for associating a brain wave pattern generated by said brain wave pattern generating means with an operation description displayed on a display means, the operation description specifying an operation to be performed on an apparatus to be controlled, said first storing means stores the generated brain wave pattern therein while associating it with the operation description.

4. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 2, wherein when receiving an instruction for associating a brain wave pattern generated by said brain wave pattern generating means with an operation description displayed on a display means, the operation description specifying an operation to be performed on an apparatus to be controlled, said first storing means stores the generated brain wave pattern therein while associating it with the operation description.

5. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 3, wherein said first storing means has a plurality of storing areas in each of which a plurality of brain wave patterns respectively associated with a plurality of operation descriptions are stored, the plurality of storing areas being associated with a plurality of users, respectively, and said brain wave pattern comparison means compares the brain wave pattern generated by said brain wave pattern generating means with the plurality of brain wave patterns stored in a storing area of said first storing means, said storing area being specified by input identification data that identifies a corresponding user.

6. A control apparatus using a brain wave signal, said apparatus comprising:

.

a brain wave detecting means for detecting a brain wave from a user'"'"'s head so as to generate a brain wave signal;

a moving object information detecting means for detecting a change of a status of a moving object; and

a security determination means for sending out an electric wave indicating a notification that said moving object has been stolen when said moving object information detecting means detects a change of the status of said moving object while said brain wave detecting means does not detect any brain wave.

7. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 6, wherein said moving object information detecting means is a position detecting means for detecting a current position of said moving object, and, when detecting a change of the current position of said moving object by using said position detecting means while said brain wave detecting means does not detect any brain wave, said security determination means sends out an electric wave indicating a notification that said moving object has been stolen.

8. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 6, wherein said moving object information detecting means is an engine start detecting means for detecting a start of an engine of said moving object, and, when detecting a start of the engine of said moving object by using said engine start detecting means while said brain wave detecting means does not detect any brain wave, said security determination means sends out an electric wave indicating a notification that said moving object has been stolen.

9. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 6, wherein said moving object information detecting means is a velocity detecting means for detecting a velocity of said moving object, and, when detecting a movement of said moving object by using said velocity detecting means while said brain wave detecting means does not detect any brain wave, said security determination means sends out an electric wave indicating a notification that said moving object has been stolen.

10. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 6, wherein said security determination means transmits an electric wave indicating a notification that said moving object has been stolen to a predetermined management center.

11. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 6, wherein said security determination means transmits an electric wave indicating a notification that said moving object has been stolen to a predetermined communication terminal.

12. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 11, wherein said predetermined communication terminal is a communication terminal owned by a user associated with identification data preset by said security determination means.

13. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 6, wherein the electric wave sent out by said security determination means includes current position information indicating a current position of said moving object.